Mas Acà del Màs Allà - A Music Lesson from Oaxaca
While riot police are occupying the Southern Mexican state capital Oaxaca after months of unrest and violence over teachers walkouts and protests, a small group of adolescent musicians from the tiny Mixe community
Santa Maria Tlahuitoltepec in the Western part of that same state is currently marching the streets of the city of Basel, together with a brass band from the Basel region, U Brass, thus forming a "Pompes funèbres" Orchestra in a unique festival called DIESSEITS VOM JENSEITS(on this side from beyond) which combines contemporary music and folk music from both rural Mexico and from Switzerland, on the subject of death in their respective cultural traditions.
The whole enterprise started three years ago when by actress/singer Désirée Meiser and her team of the "railway station for new music" or GARE DU NORD in Basel, Switzerland, had the idea to launch a composer workshop for contemporary musicians from both Mexico and Switzerland. It turned out to become a major binational cultural event. With the participation of artits such as composer Gualtiero Dazzi and writer Francisco Serrano , high quality musical and operatic productions are presented. The subject of the festival is further treated in depth by an exhibition of antique folk art from Mexico and contributions to the "Dia de la Muerte" celebrations by contemporary Mexican sculptors.

But the most surprising phenomenon of the festival is the earnest and professionalism of the youthful Banda de Filarmonia CECAM of Tlahuitoltepec These young musicians have no problem to switch from their local tunes with their intricate rhythms to a Gloria by Schubert.
It is a lesson in education and culture of the highest possible level from one of the most remote and poorest regions of Central America