
Camila Bañuelos
FAYM Student
February 2025
Camila Banuelos
1. What instrument do you play and why did you pick that instrument?
I play the violin and I didn’t really pick the violin, my mom picked it for me, but I’m glad she did because I love my violin.
2. What do you like about your music lessons?
What I like about my music lessons is in mariachi we always get to sing while playing the violin. I also like when we learn high and low notes.
3. What is the hardest thing you are learning?
The hardest thing that I am learning right now is the second song for our March concert titled “Duet.”
4. What is your favorite thing you have learned?
My favorite thing that I have learned is the mariachi song “El Carretero” because I like playing fast.
5. Is there a song you want to learn how to play?
Yes, there are songs I want to learn how to play. One is a violin rendition of “No Guidance” by the violinist DSharp and some songs by Ariana Grande.
6. How does it feel to perform with your instrument?
To perform with my instrument feels exciting because you get to show everyone else how hard we have been working.
7. How does it feel when you practice a lot and your playing gets better?
Practicing and knowing I am getting better feels good because I have been working really hard to learn new skills.
8. What do you want to be when you grow up?
When I grow up I want to be a performer like Beyoncé and Ariana Grande.
9. Do you think learning music will help you with your goal?
Yes, I think playing music will help me with my goal because I want to be a performer and if I want to be a performer I have to know rhythm and a lot of different skills.
Dahlia DeSantiago-Bañuelos
Madre de Camila interview
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Hello! My name is Dahlia DeSantiago-Bañuelos.
My daughter Camila is currently the only child I have enrolled in FAYM, but her baby
brother Emiliano loves accompanying her to violin class. Camila is in violin group 3 with
Ms. Won Na and in advanced-intermediate mariachi with Miss Guadalupe.
1. How did you hear about FAYM?
I heard about FAYM via a brochure that was sent home by Camila’s kindergarten
teacher. The requirements stated she had to be in first grade so as soon as she was
eligible, we enrolled with FAYM.
2. How long have you been with us?
Our family has been a part of FAYM for 3 years.
3. How did you feel when you first saw your child with a violin in his/her hands?
When Camila was in utero, I would read out loud often and play classical music for her
during my commute to and from work. She would always respond to music with so
many baby kicks. I remember one morning listening to a song with a violin solo and
thinking to myself, “I would love my daughter to play violin.” When she was one year
old, her dad bought her an artisanal toy violin that she absolutely loved so when she
received her first official violin it was a very emotional, full circle moment for me as a
parent.
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4. Was your child happy to get his/her violin?
Camila was super excited to receive her first violin. She immediately took ownership of
her instrument and everything that involved keeping it safe and sounding great.
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5. Is your child enjoying the learning of playing the violin?
As a parent with a background in art and music, it was important to inculcate in my
daughter the love of music as well; therefore, she truly enjoys learning to play the violin.
I love that she already thinks about playing different genres within violin. She says she
wants to play violin with a modern twist like Lindsey Stirling or DSharp.
6. Is bring your child to us twice a week worth your time?
Bringing my child to FAYM three times a week is absolutely worth our time. Anything in
life worth obtaining requires work.
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7. Have there been any problems in bring your child to our classes?
We have not experienced problems as a family bringing our child to class, it simply
requires planning the logistics of getting her to class immediately after school. Our
routine is picking her up from school, going straight to the community center, upon
arrival she eats a small meal or snack I pack, she sets up her stand and violin then she
goes to class ready to learn.
8. Have you seen any changes in your child since he/she started playing the violin?
Of course I have seen changes in my child since she started playing the violin. She is
very proud to share with family and friends that she is part of a talented group of
students who play the violin and when she shares that she is part of a mariachi, I see
the pride she feels to be Mexican American. As the daughter of immigrant parents
myself, my mother and father did an excellent job in teaching my sisters and me to love
our Mexican culture and I want my children to do the same. We are all so proud to be
from the state of Jalisco which is so representative of Mexican heritage, from mariachi
to tequila and folkloric dance, but more importantly, to promote our culture in the United
States.
9. Do you think other parents should bring their child to music classes like ours?
I believe all children should have the opportunity to learn how to play an instrument as
the skills involved with playing allow the brain to work in more creative ways. It also
helps support programs such as FAYM.
10. What is the hardest thing for you to make music lessons possible for your child?
The hardest thing to make music lessons possible for my child are fitting in school
activities, extracurricular activities, personal activities, homework, practicing, etc. while
staying on schedule for bedtime. I plan everything around school and her violin classes
because if we truly want her to succeed as a musician, we have to be consistent with
her music education.
11. If FAYM was not here, would your child be involved in music lessons? Why?
If FAYM did not exist, Camila would absolutely be involved in music lessons regardless
but we are blessed to have FAYM. FAYM fosters an environment where she is
surrounded by classmates and teachers who share the same interest in the violin,
making beautiful music, learning about music, and overall seeing our youth succeed as
future musicians.
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12. This interview will be in our next Newsletter. Is there anything else you would like
to say to our FAYM family?
As the parent of a student enrolled with FAYM, I would like to thank all the directors,
board members, donors, teachers and those involved who make programs like these
available for our children to better their musical education at an early age.
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