Mariachi is a musical touchstone of Mexico and the American Southwest — and a growing part of U.S. music education.
Clark County high schools are embracing it, with more than 8,000 students in its mariachi programs — the most in the country. The College of Southern Nevada's Mariachi Plata band has found national success in competitions.
And last fall, UNLV began offering mariachi classes in its School of Music so those students could continue to study, even learn how to teach the artform. To oversee those classes and its ensemble band, the university reached out to an educator who launched two high school mariachi bands: Stephen Blanco, who guided the student musicians of Las Vegas High School to multiple performances for former President Joe Biden.
It wasn't easy, as collegiate opportunities for mariachi are far fewer than in high school, and some existing ones are endangered. Getting approvals on both the collegiate and state level can be a tedious, bureaucratic process. And demand for mariachi-knowledgeable instructors far exceeds supply — especially in a city well known for its teacher shortage.
"Dwindle that down even more to a shortage of instructors qualified to teach at the higher education level, [and] It's been difficult, and it's still difficult," says Blanco. "But we're making it happen."
Among this year's debut courses are a mariachi-101-type intro course, one called Foundations of Mariachi that explores the history and evolution of the artform, and an arrangement/composition class tailored so educators can learn how to write according to their students' needs.
That's just the beginning. As the university prepares to absorb more of the graduating high school students in mariachi classes and ensembles, it's seeking approval for a minor. The big goal for the program's expansion is a major — a rarity in U.S. colleges.
And then there's Las Vegas' first-ever Extravaganza competition/concert, held all day at UNLV on March 8. The event — which will include students from all over the U.S. and Canada, as well as beloved Mexican guitarist/vocalist Jonathan Palomar — takes inspiration from (and is a collaboration with) the 30-year Extravaganza held in San Antonio, a signature event of American mariachi culture.
"The team there has been champions for mariachi music, and especially mariachi music in schools," says Blanco. "And the idea was just kind of born over the last six months of discussing what could be possible at UNLV. It's very important for the School of Music to have students from across the country on our campus on Saturday."
The passion for mariachi stems not just for the music itself, but so musicians can bond more closely to their heritage — which in turn means more shared experiences with their loved ones."
"One of the biggest things is that it's bringing families closer together," says Blanco, who first learned about mariachi from his own Mexican family. "It's giving people of all ages something to discuss at the dinner table. It's bringing passion back to Hispanic culture. It's really, really important to the students, and it's making a difference in their lives."
Guest: Stephen Blanco, mariachi instructor, UNLV School of Music
