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MARIACHI
MOVEMENT IN SAN FERNANDO
The most influential
elements of a student's learning experience are embedded in his/her cultural
traditions. For Mexican and Mexican-Americans in the Southwest states of
California, Nevada, Arizona, New Mexico, and Texas, who are caught between
influential forces from both sides of the border, these traditions are
especially critical in retaining cultural identity. Of the many important
Mexican cultural features students attempt to retain, music is at the forefront,
and spearheading this music culture is the most symbolic of Mexican traditions:
the mariachi. Over the last thirty years, the number of school and community
mariachi music programs in the Southwest has grown tremendously. In promotion
of multiculturalism in the arts, students, parents, teachers, and community
members have advocated for music programs that encourage artistic expression
while displaying cultural identity.
The City of San Fernando
is one of the many Mexican-American communities that has supported such
music programs. Over the last decade, an overwhelming increase in the number
of young mariachi musicians in and around San Fernando has resulted in
a strong demand for programs that teach music of Mexico within the schools
and community. Hence, San Fernando serves as a microcosm to the "music
of Mexico boom" that has been occurring throughout the Southwest over
the last three decades.
History of Mariachi Education
Mariachi education in the Southwest dates back to the 1960’s, when
university level students began experimenting with the mariachi style.
The most prominent university student ensemble was formed in 1961 at the
UCLA Institute of Ethnomusicology. Mariachi Uclatlan, composed largely
of UCLA undergraduate and graduate students, eventually became one of the
most popular professional mariachi ensembles in Los Angeles (Loza 1993:90).
While other university ensembles emerged throughout the Southwest, middle
and secondary school students also began forming groups on their campuses.
In their attempt to implement multicultural education, parents, teachers,
and community members pushed for mariachi music programs in the school
system. Dr. Daniel Sheehy states: "The primary promoters of these
programs at the middle and secondary levels were advocates of multicultural
education and of the inclusion of music instruction that was culturally
representative of Mexican American student populations" (Sheehy 1997:
147).
As advocates extended their faith in cultural music education, programs
continued to increase throughout the next two decades. In the late 1970’s,
Belle Ortiz, multicultural expert working in the San Antonio Independent
School District, was one of the first advocates to succeed in implementing
a multischool program of mariachi instruction at both middle and secondary
levels (Sheehy199:147). In 1979, she also organized the first International
Mariachi Conference, performing by the worlds most prestigious mariachi
ensemble, Mariachi Vargas de Tecalitlan, were provided for students, thus
paving the way for subsequent school mariachi programs and instructional
conferences (Sheehy 199:147).
Mariachi in the San Fernando Community
The mariachi activity in the City of San Fernando is a prime example of
how the Mexican and Mexican-American music culture has a tremendous impact
on students. Over the ten years, middle and high school students of San
Fernando and its neighboring Mexican and Mexican-American dominant cities
of Sylmar, Mission Hills, Pacoima, and Arleta have made a significant contribution
to the widespread mariachi education movement in the Southwest. Students
from local schools, including Pacoima Middle School, San Fernando Middle
School, Olive Vista Middle School, San Fernando High School, and Sylmar
High School, have succeeded not only in shaping a recognized and respected
mariachi tradition in the northeast San Fernando Valley, but have also
extended their talents to the professional realm throughout the United
States and Mexico. Parents and community members have played critical roles
in promoting the student ensembles by encouraging youth participation,
organizing community events where local ensembles are showcased, and by
pressing local schools and community organizations into establishing mariachi
programs.
Mariachi Fiesta Mexicana of the Gonzalez family was one of the first San
Fernando ensembles to showcase the talents of local students. Mr. Gonzalez
and several of his eleven children began performing during the mid-1980’s
(La Voz 1998:6). In 1989, they helped establish the community’s first
all-student mariachi ensemble: Mariachi Santa Rosa (above). Being the official
ensemble of Santa Rosa Church and School, Mariachi Santa Rosa quickly gained
local popularity. In 1992, Santa Rosa became widely recognized as one of
the best student mariachi ensembles in Los Angeles by winning the Mariachi
USA Juvenil Music Award. Juan Gonzalez, the oldest son, became director
of the group and eventually renamed it Mariachi Alma de Mexico in 1995,
as it is called today.
Other local student groups soon followed. Rodolfo “Rudy” Vasquez,
San Fernando Middle High music teacher, and Everto “Veto” Ruiz,
Chicano Studies Professor at Cal State Northridge, established the first
mariachi program in 1989 at San Fernando Middle School. Mariachi Los Halcones,
as Mariachi Santa Rosa, were popular among the locals, performing at community
events and festivals . After graduating from middle school, the first generation
ensemble eventually created their own group, Mariachi Orgullo Mexicano,
in 1992. Since his involvement with his first Halcones ensemble, Rudy Vasquez
has been San Fernando’s primary educator on the mariachi tradition.
Over the last decade, just about all local community student ensembles
have been largely composed of former or current Halcones, including Mariachi
Tenochtitlan, Mariachi Las Alteñitas, Mariachi Aguila Azteca, Mariachi
Sol Azteca, Mariachi Recuerdo Mexicano, and Mariachi Cobras de Jalisco.
While most of these mariachis have become recognized within the San Fernando
Valley, several have succeeded in establishing well-known professional
ensembles. Of the two most successful, Mariachi Cuicatlan (1994-1997) (top-right)
enjoyed the most recognition as being one of the premier mariachi juveniles
in the Los Angeles area. Sharing stages with some of the world’s most
renowned mariachis, including Mariachi Vargas de Tecalitlan and Mariachi
Los Camperos de Nati Cano, Cuicatlan was widely known and respected throughout
the Southwest (La Voz 1998:8). Mariachi Este Es Mi Mexico (1995-) (right)
has also enjoyed much local and national success. As Cuicatlan, Este es
Mi Mexico has demonstrated its talents alongside mariachi greats such as
Mariachi Cobre (La Voz 1998:7).
Several local student musicians have achieved professional success by performing
with some of the most recognized mariachi ensembles in the United States.
Griselda Pérez, former Mariachi Santa Rosa and Mariachi Alma de
Mexico vocalist, was a member of the worlds first all-female ensemble,
Mariachi Reyna de Los Angeles, and is now the guitarist for one of the
most high-profile female mariachis: Mariachi Mujer 2000. Maria Elena Pérez,
former trumpetist for Mariachi Los Halcones and Mariachi Las Alteñitas,
is also another jewel of the San Fernando mariachi community as a member
of Mariachi Mujer 2000. Sergio Alonso (left), former musical director of
Mariachi Cuicatlan, also currently represents the City of San Fernando
among the world’s greatest mariachi musicians as the harpist for Mariachi
Los Camperos de Nati Cano. Maria Rojo and Yvonne Vazquez, both former members
of Mariachi Los Halcones and Mariachi Cuicatlan, also showcased their talents
in the professional realm. Maria enjoyed much success as one of the principal
vocalists in Mariachi Reyna de Los Angeles, singing the title song of their
debut album, “Solo Tuya,” (bottom-right) while Yvonne played
violin for Mariachi Las Adelitas.
Music has had a profound impact on the lives of local student mariachi
musicians. As mariachi musicians increase in and around San Fernando, the
demand for mariachi education in local elementary schools, secondary schools,
and college continues. Throughout the community, mariachi education is
now starting at an earlier age in schools such as Canterbury Elementary
and Vaughn Next Century Learning Center, and is even being sought after
in higher education. Recently, a mariachi program was also implemented
at Mission Community College in Sylmar, under the direction of Rudy Vasquez.
The City of San Fernando
is one case study of the many Mexican-American communities that has pushed
for mariachi programs in its schools and community. For many Mexican-American
students throughout the Southwest, the influence of Mexican music has impacted
their educational experience as well. As mariachi music continues to grow,
more and more students, parents, teachers, and community members will undertake
the task of continuing the mariachi tradition in our schools and community.
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