San Antonio Mariachi Extravaganza came to a close on Saturday night. The Extravaganza is the nation’s largest mariachi competition for young people, and Roma High School’s Lorraine Garza was selected Grand Champion.
Crystaly Leal came in first in the middle school division, and Leylanie Rodriguez was selected first in the high school division. Alexis Perez was chosen first in the college age category.
A total of 19 prizes, included money, tuition and other gifts were awarded in the annual event.
This weekend, dozens of middle school through college-aged youth streamed through the doors of the Lila Cockrell Theatre on the banks of San Antonio’s River Walk. They all turned up to hear one of the genre’s most popular bands, Mariachi Vargas.
“It's the biggest event for anybody who knows anything about mariachi, " said 17 year-old violinist and singer Merari Uribe.
She attended the Extravaganza's three-day workshop. Uribe has played mariachi since she was 10. “In middle school, as soon as they offered that program, I joined, and it prepared me for high school,” she added.
Mariachi began in Mexico but has taken deep roots in the U.S. Southwest. In hundreds of Texas schools, mariachi is offered as a music program, just like band or orchestra.
It starts with reading music. “The first year is just kind of like, 'okay, this is how you play, how you read the notes.' And then the second and the third year are when they're trying to teach you and incorporate that mariachi style,” Uribe explained.
And at the Extravaganza, live performance is key. But the multiple workshops are a major draw as well. Mariachi Vargas players workshopped with students, including Uribe.
“Mariachi Vargas to the mariachi world is like Taylor Swift for this new generation,” she added.
Aspiring mariachis came to San Antonio from five different states. “Hi. My name is Diamante Balcazar, and I'm a senior at Harvard University studying neuroscience and social anthropology, and I'm the president of Mariachi Veritas." That’s the Harvard University-based mariachi band.
“We're one of the only mariachis in Boston, and we were essentially the first ever student mariachi on the East Coast,” Balcazar said.
Like many of these students, and for Balcazar, mariachi is a way to connect with his roots and his ancestors.
“Growing up, I would just remember countless times hearing mariachi being played while my grandma was cooking, hearing at different family events,” he said.
