Conjunto music enjoys a resurgence, bridging a divide between old and new musicians

https://www.npr.org/2023/07/10/ [login to see] /conjunto-music-texas-resurgence
The southern subtropics of Texas, known as the Rio Grande Valley, is a geographically and culturally distinct part of the Lone Star State — as much Mexican as Texan — with its own soundtrack. Conjunto has a thumping backbeat, plaintive vocals and shimmering accordion riffs. This century-old music has been growing among a new generation of young musicians.

Conjunto (pronounced con-HOON-toh) is now offered as a fine-arts band credit in at least a dozen schools in the Valley and as far north as San Antonio. As the adage goes: If you want to preserve the music, teach it to the kids.

Inside the band hall at Los Fresnos High School, near Brownsville, in the southernmost tip of Texas, the award-winning student group, Conjunto Halcón, is warming up. The drummer counts off "one, two, three..." with his sticks, the accordion breaks into a lilting, syncopated intro, and the handsome twin singers, Daniel and Samuel, kick off Tú Carcel, a broken-hearted song.