Playing From His Heart -- Interlake Teacher Is Giving A Concert To Raise Money For Students' Trip To Mexico

BELLEVUE

An epic struggle between life and death has consumed the Interlake High School music room.

Spanish teacher Sergio Martinez's face flushes as he practices the final bars of Franz Liszt's "Funerales" on the piano. Death resides in his left hand on the gloomy bass keys. Life dances through his right fingers among the merry treble keys. The musician's cheeks tighten. He lifts his hands to his eyebrows. Swinging downward, he pounds the piano, as his torso rises off the wobbly bench.

With the mischievous pop of a lone bass note, death prevails.

"Music talks to us. There is a message when we listen to music," he says afterward.

"Sometimes, we suffer deliciously."

Music lovers can join him at 7:30 p.m. Saturday at Westminster Chapel in Bellevue. Martinez, an accomplished concert pianist, is giving a benefit show so nine students in the Spanish Club can afford a spring trip to Mexico.

Martinez, a 35-year-old native of Guatemala, is the descendant of musicians and a graduate of that country's National Conservatory of Music. He has played for former Guatemalan President Vinicio Cerezo, as well as other concerts throughout the Americas.

As a schoolboy, Martinez earned money playing salsa and lounge tunes. One of the salsa bands shortchanged the young pianist and, anyway, pop music bored him.

"Classical, it requires more attention, more sensitivity. It's not for everybody, but many people need an education to listen to classical music," he says.

Martinez, who moved here two years ago, lives in Renton with his wife, Ingebor, and their 2-year-old son, Sergio.

His Interlake classes range from elementary Spanish to advanced composition for Latino students. Wandering through school corridors, Martinez waves and shouts, "Hola!" to every student he recognizes. A 1989 grad drops by, and Martinez praises his halting Spanish - "Que bonita!"

Fellow teacher Annette Dooley observes: "I think Sergio sees beauty in anything. If there's beauty there, he can find it. He's very encouraging toward his students, very upbeat. He lets the little stuff go and keeps a positive attitude toward his students."

At least three Spanish Club members can't afford the trip without donations, Dooley said.

The show begins with festive Bach selections and includes Enrique Solares' "Cradle Song," Chopin's "Nocturne," plus one of Martinez's own works, "Evening Butterfly." The show mixes European and Latin- American composers, subtle and blunt chords, low and high notes.

As he plays, Martinez can lose himself in reverie, his mind picturing beloved people or autumn forests.

"We can say a lot more through sounds than we can through words. I am passionate," he comments.

Don't expect him to name a favorite composer. "It's like asking who is your favorite son or daughter," he replies. "It's hard to imagine."

--------------- Benefit concert ---------------

Sergio Martinez's concert is at 7:30 p.m. Saturday at Westminster Chapel, 13646 N.E. 24th St., Bellevue. Tickets for the benefit show will be available at the door and are $10 for adults, $5 for senior citizens and students.