Laureles Elementary Guitar Program Going Strong

by Ronnie Zamora/LFCISD

Laureles Elementary students has produced budding guitarists over the last eight years, thanks to its dedicated teacher.

Music teacher Gilbert Vogel has been teaching music at Laureles since 2009, and started an after-school guitar program for interested students.

“I do this on my free time after school,” Vogel said. “I wanted to do something to give to the kids of our school district. I wanted to give something that they would really like to learn. Guitar is my special instrument, and this is something that I could give to the kids for them to learn.”

Vogel, who played in a band during his younger days, is dedicated to teaching students now. He has a beginner group and intermediate group which has played guitar for at least one year.

He teaches general music during the class day, and guitar after school. Students do not pay any money. The guitars are property of the school.

“They are already learning how to read music,” Vogel said. “When they get to middle school, they will have learned some rhythm concepts, so it will make it easier for the middle school band directors to teach them.”

Vogel has eight students enrolled in the intermediate class, composed of students in fourth and fifth grade. The beginner guitar class, for students in grades 3 to 5, will start in November. The beginners class is limited to 12 guitars, because that’s how many guitars Vogel has.

“These guitars were purchased by the school many years ago,” Vogel said. “They are the campus guitars that are used every year.”

Vogel added an electric guitar and bass guitar last year.

Laureles will hold a holiday guitar concert at 6 p.m. December 15, and an end-of-year concert May 18.

One of Vogel’s students who learned guitar in 2009 is now plays the flute of the Texas A&M University-Kingsville band. Several other have played different instruments in the LFHS band over the years.

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