Puerto Rican singer Edgar Rene performs for high school Spanish classes

COLDWATER — Spanish class students from seven regional schools filled Tibbits Opera House last Wednesday, April 24, for a concert by Puerto Rican singer Edgar Rene.

According to organizing Quincy teacher Sharon Powell, 52 students from Coldwater High School and 80 from Quincy High School hosted the event.

Powell said students prepared for the show by learning Spanish songs. "Using and learning the music during class as a teaching tool really builds enthusiasm for the language." She said using a concert format is unique.

The Tibbits performance was one of 23 student concerts Edgar held nationwide between October and April.

Powell said, "Certainly the opportunity for students to access a successful Latin American recording artist during the school day is very unique."

Edgar invited students to learn the salsa dance on stage during the concert.

Other students joined Edgar on stage to learn Spanish tongue twisters and participate in a Boricua band that performed using typical Latin American percussion instruments.

Tibbits executive director Chris Delaney said Spanish classes used the historic theater for shows in past years. "It's loud. It rocks but we're excited to have the kids in there to show all the different aspects of our community at the theater."

Born in September 1979 in Spain, Edgar began performing as a DJ in the nightclubs of Santiago de Compostela at age 15 in Puerto Rico.

The singer-techno DJ owns a music company promoting his and other Hispanic musical artists.

The Justo Lamas Group, an organization that has been bringing Spanish music and culture to U.S. students through live performances since 1998, sponsored the concert.

Powell said that the Guido A. and Elizabeth H. Binda Foundation, through a grant coordinated by the Calhoun ISD, partially sponsored the large Quincy group.

"We've attended Spanish concerts for many years with our QHS students, but the grant funding this year made the opportunity accessible to many more students than usual. We are so thankful to the Binda Foundation for the support," said Powell.

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Westview High School and Jimtown High Schools from Indiana, along with Galesburg-Augusta, Kalamazoo Christian, and Marshall High Schools from Michigan, joined Quincy and Coldwater for the concert.

---Contact Don Reid: dReid@Gannett.com.

This article originally appeared on Coldwater Daily Reporter: Spanish classes at Tibbits entertained by Puerto Rican singer Edgar Rene