Andrés 123 to perform in The Dalles

“This is a really big deal,” said an excited Dana Campbell, youth services coordinator at The Dalles-Wasco County Library. “He’s [Salguero] full of energy and loves kids. This is a program for everybody. It’s such a treat to get someone like him in The Dalles. He made his concert and travel work for us. It was really generous of him.” Salguero’s debut album, “¡Uno, Dos, Tres Andrés en español y en inglés!” was nominated for a Latin Grammy and was hailed by the Boston Globe: “His joyous new album…hopscotches around the Spanish speaking world, seamlessly switching from bachata and bolero to mariachi and vallenato.”

According to a press release, “Andrés brings to audiences joyful sounds, passion for bilingualism and a high-energy love of music that gets kids singing and dancing in Spanish and English.”

A native of Bogotá, Colombia, Salguero started his musical career at a young age when he joined a local folkloric music and dance group. At 8 years old he recorded an album with the group, El Ratoncito Marinero, and the experience of being in the studio with professional musicians was a defining one.

Learning to play the guitar from his father, Salguero developed a love for the variety of musical rhythms, which led him to play the guitar, clarinet and saxophone in all kinds of musical groups, from an opera company to a ska band. During this time he also started writing his own songs. His carefully crafted compositions earned him the first prize in the National Composition Contest in Colombia.

Salguero pursued his passion and went on to earn a doctorate in music from the University of Missouri-Kansas City. While in Kansas City, he discovered the world of children’s music, and has dedicated himself to it ever since. He uses his music to celebrate Latin culture, promote the importance of bilingualism, and encourage cultural understanding.

The Dalles-Wasco County Library has a busy month of children’s programing planned.

On Wednesday from 2-4 p.m., the library will host Children’s Weaving with Chloe Hight as kids 6-and-older will learn basic weaving skills and take home a clip board loom and yarn.

Every Thursday in March, the library is teaching a Baby Signs class for parents and their children at 10:50 a.m. immediately after Baby Storytime at 10:30.

Family Storytime, which includes stories, songs and crafts, will take place Saturday at 11 a.m.

Eric Herman’s Cool Tunes for Kids is Wednesday, March 23 at 3 p.m. and Lego League is Thursday, March 24 at 4 p.m.

For Home Depot Maker Kids, children ages 5 and older will build bird houses on Wednesday, March 30 at 3-5 p.m. Campbell said the event is limited to 20 kids so sign up early.