South Texas Conjunto Association to present at MOSTHistory Dec. 17
With its strong connections to the working class, conjunto music has greatly influenced the culture of South Texas. Lupe Saenz from the South Texas Conjunto Association will present a program about the history of conjunto music during the Sunday Speaker Series Dec. 17 at 2 p.m. 
Conjunto music was born in the Rio Grande Valley during the settlement and development of many towns growing along the railroads as the tracks crossed the Rio Grande Valley in the 1920s. The presentation will explain the beginnings and the evolution of conjunto music in South Texas including how it spread among the migrant field workers. In addition, Saenz will share examples of the music as it evolved and credit those pioneers who are responsible for creating the genre, including Narciso Martinez.
During his school years in the mid-1960s, Saenz worked at KSOX 1240 AM. In 1998, after many decades in public education at Weslaco ISD and Donna ISD, he founded the South Texas Conjunto Association. Since then, he’s written, produced and directed conjunto culture documentaries and television shows. Saenz currently lives in Weslaco.
Sunday Speakers Series is included in the fee for regular museum admission. FRIENDS of the Museum are admitted free as a benefit of FRIENDship.
This program is made possible with generous support from the Carmen C. Guerra Endowment. Mrs. Guerra was deeply committed to supporting educational opportunities in the Rio Grande Valley. This named endowment was created at the museum by her family to honor her memory and to continue her commitment to providing opportunities for education to the community.
About Museum of South Texas History
The Museum of South Texas History is accredited by the American Alliance of Museums. It is located in downtown Edinburg at 200 North Closner Boulevard on the Hidalgo County Courthouse square. Hours of operation are from 1 p.m.–5 p.m. Sunday and 10 a.m.–5 p.m. Tuesday–Saturday. Founded in 1967 as the Hidalgo County Historical Museum in the 1910 Hidalgo County Jail, the museum has grown over the decades through a series of expansions to occupy a full city block. In 2003 following the completion of a 22,500 square foot expansion, the museum was renamed the Museum of South Texas History to better reflect its regional scope. Today, the museum preserves and presents the borderland heritage of South Texas and Northeastern Mexico through its permanent collection and the Margaret H. McAllen Memorial Archives and exhibits spanning prehistory through the 20th century. For more information about MOSTHistory, including becoming a FRIEND, visit MOSTHistory.org, like us on Facebook, follow on Twitter, find on Google+ or call +1-956-383-6911.