HISTORY
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Prelude
In the 1980s, through the Nicaraguan singer-songwriter Carlos Medía Godoy, the Christian singer Flavio Galo (R.I.P.) met marimba maestro Tomás Alfonso Flores “Tun Tun” (R.I.P.). This meeting was the beginning of an unbreakable friendship between the two.
For years Flavio dreamed of creating a music school where he could teach marimba and guitar, but he wasn’t able to see that dream come true during his lifetime. It wasn’t until 1996, two years after Flavio's unexpected death, that his sister Elizabeth Galo, together with "Tun Tun", founded and opened the doors of the Flavio Galo Marimba and Guitar School, making his late brother's great dream and greatest passion come true.
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FOUNDERS
Elizabeth Galo Montenegro
Founder and General Director
Norma Elizabeth Galo Montenegro was born on September 27th, 1960 in the San Luis neighborhood of Managua. She is the second daughter of Norma del Socorro Montenegro Ortega and Flavio Galo Toruño. Elizabeth began her artistic vocation at the age of 9, driven first by her mother and then by her brother Flavio, who taught her to play the guitar and some percussion instruments. She frequently played songs on radio programs, at schools, and at family, social and religious gatherings. All of her music was framed within the Christian spirit and faith, which she learned from her family and in the Christian Communities of the San Pablo Apostol Parish, where together with her brother Flavio and her family, they spread the Nicaraguan Masses – the “Misa Popular” and the “Misa Campesina”. They also spread folkloric and testimonial songs in the eastern and western neighborhoods of Managua and all of Nicaragua. She continued her testimonial and religious singing with the family music group "Familia Galo" and with his brother Flavio until his death in 1994. In 1996, together with the marimba maestro, Alfonso Calero "Tun Tun", she founded the Flavio Galo Marimba and Guitar School.
Tomás Alfonso Flores Calero "Tun Tun" (R.I.P.)
Founder and First Musical Director
Tomás Alfonso Flores Calero was born on October 2nd, 1942 in the city of Masaya, son of José Alfonso Flores Matute and Juana María Calero Alvarado. As a child, he received a marimba as a gift and learned to play it by himself. As a teenager he joined the military academy band and started playing the marimba in restaurants, family gatherings and festivals. He was invited by many musicians to record music, among them: Don Camilo Zapata, Carlos Mejía Godoy, Otto de la Rocha, "Los Emperadores" and "Trío Xolotlán". In the 80's, through Carlos Mejía Godoy, he met the Christian musician Flavio Galo, with whom he shared friendship and stages nationally and internationally. In 1996, after Flavio's death, he participated with Elizabeth Galo in the founding of the Flavio Galo Marimba and Guitar School, thus fulfilling Flavio's greatest dream and passion.
Flavio Enrique Galo Montenegro (R.I.P.)
Intelectual Founder
Flavio Enrique Galo Montenegro, the oldest of five children, was born on May 15th, 1958 in the city of León, Nicaragua, son of Norma Montenegro Ortega and Flavio Galo Toruño. At the age of 9, he began to cultivate his artistic vocation and to discover his social commitment coming from the Christian spirit and faith. In the 80's, through his testimonial singing, he participated in political, cultural and religious events. Flavio was already singing and playing several stringed instruments when at the end of the 80's he met the marimba maestro Alfonso Flores "Tun Tun", who taught him how to play the marimba. From this bond was born within Flavio the motivation to found a marimba school.
If you want to learn more about the history of the school and the foundation that supports it, we invite you to read the book "Solo dos marimbas: 21 años de historia de la Escuela de Marimba y Guitarra 'Flavio Galo'" written by Félix Jiménez. You can find it for sale in our office during regular school hours. You can visit our STORE to see the price.