▁music ▁in ▁South ▁America ▁mainly ▁followed ▁that ▁of ▁European ▁development . ▁Ch oir s ▁were ▁formed ▁to ▁sing ▁masses , ▁ch ants , ▁ps al ms , ▁but ▁sec ular ▁music ▁also ▁became ▁more ▁pre val ent ▁in ▁the ▁sevent e enth ▁and ▁eigh teenth ▁centuries ▁and ▁beyond . ▁ ▁Music ▁education ▁in ▁Latin ▁America ▁today ▁has ▁large ▁emphas is ▁on ▁folk ▁music , ▁masses , ▁and ▁orch est ral ▁music . ▁Many ▁class rooms ▁teach ▁their ▁cho irs ▁to ▁sing ▁in ▁their ▁native ▁language ▁as ▁well ▁as ▁in ▁English . ▁Several ▁Latin ▁American ▁School s , ▁specifically ▁in ▁Puerto ▁Rico ▁and ▁H ait i , ▁believe ▁music ▁to ▁be ▁an ▁important ▁subject ▁and ▁are ▁working ▁on ▁expand ing ▁their ▁programs . ▁Out side ▁of ▁school , ▁many ▁communities ▁form ▁their ▁own ▁musical ▁groups ▁and ▁organizations . ▁Community ▁performances ▁are ▁very ▁popular ▁with ▁the ▁local ▁aud ien ces . ▁There ▁are ▁a ▁few ▁well - known ▁Latin ▁American ▁ch oral ▁groups , ▁such ▁as ▁" El ▁Cor o ▁de ▁Mad rig al istas " ▁from ▁Mexico . ▁This ▁famous ▁ch oral ▁group ▁t ours ▁around ▁Mexico , ▁showing ▁students ▁around ▁the ▁country ▁what ▁a ▁professional ▁ch oral ▁ensemble ▁sounds ▁like . ▁ ▁There ▁is ▁evidence ▁of ▁the ▁positive ▁impact ▁of ▁participation ▁in ▁youth ▁orch est ras ▁and ▁academic ▁achiev ement ▁and ▁res ili ence ▁in ▁Chile . ▁ ▁Cross - c ult ural ▁music ▁education ▁The ▁music , ▁languages , ▁and ▁sounds ▁we ▁are ▁exposed ▁to ▁within ▁our ▁own ▁cult ures ▁determine ▁our