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“I’m from Puebla, Mexico, and I come from a very humble family. My grandfather, Guadalupe Aguilar, was a musician. He played several instruments that he made with his own hands using wood. For example, the chirimía, which is like a clarinet but smaller; the drum, which is a tall cylinder; the snare drum, which is the same as the ones modern bands play; and also the violin. In Mexico, it is a tradition to play Las Mañanitas during patron saint festivals, and it was my grandfather and his friends who would play serenades, folk music, and popular music from their time starting at six in the morning, using the instruments they made themselves. My dream was to learn to play the drums and the guitar, but at the time I didn’t have the opportunity due to lack of resources. When my daughter Valeria was three years old, we bought her a toy guitar, and she would play with it and hold it like a violin. A few years later, my friend Isa invited Valeria to sing in a children’s choir, and that’s where we met Angie Durrell. She told us about INTAKE, which is now INTEMPO, and invited us to be part of her big dream. Today, we’ve been with INTEMPO for 12 years. I’m on cloud nine when I see my children Valeria and Gael play. I never imagined that they would be able to learn to play the violin, because it’s such a difficult instrument. Sometimes, when we’re at home, out of nowhere, they pull out their instruments and start playing, and you think: Wow! how beautiful it is that they practice without being forced. Like all kids, sometimes they get tired from school and don’t want to do anything, and there have been times when I’ve had to take them to their classes even when they didn’t feel like going. But I always tell them that they have a commitment to INTEMPO and that these are responsibilities they need to fulfill. Plus, they love going and seeing their friends. As a father, I always support them and try to be as involved in their activities as I can. I don’t mind leaving work to be with them at their performances. I will always be there with them and for them.”

Juan Carlos Gomar, INTEMPO Board Member and father of Valeria and Gael