Dr. Lorenzo A. Trujillo

Posted on September 11, 2025

 

The sounds of mariachi cause the soul to leap with joy and emotional memories of centuries past in the hearts, minds and spirits of everyone – yes, everyone – not just Mexicans – everyone.

 

I will tell you about how I got involved in mariachi and the history of mariachi as it has evolved in the mariachi world.

 

Our Lady of Guadalupe

 

I remember my first experience with mariachi music when I heard the mariachis at Our Lady of Guadalupe Catholic Church in Denver.  Immediately, I knew that this was in my deep inner-essence as a Mexican/Chicano whose roots trace back to México.  The sounds of the trumpets, violins, guitarron, guitars, and voices singing in Spanish were all in my soul reverberating my roots in the Southwest United States and México. I immediately decided I wanted to merge my total being with mariachi. To that end, I have devoted my life and energy as a musician and singer. The story of mariachi is rich with deep cultural meaning and identification.

In 1967, I joined the Mariachi Guadalupana under the direction of Danny Silva, along with Skelly García and Victor Cárdenas.  I played guitar and sang. We were a project of Fr. Lara at Our Lady of Guadalupe where I also taught folklorico dancing. This became a major movement in the North Denver Community with weekly music at masses and community celebrations, especially during the holidays.  I remember playing at the Christmas tree lot for Nick – my father’s guitar finish was cracked by the heat of the fire in the barrel around which we sang and played.  I remember Fr. Lara loving the Jesucita en Chihuahua and Peanuts (Cacahuate) pieces we played in front of the church after mass. These were moments that were indelibly marked in my heart. We learned the Misa Panamericana music from Cuernavaca and played masses, weddings, funerals, baptisms, holidays and most special occasions of the community.  We were invited and played throughout Colorado and especially loved traveling to the missions in the San Luís Valley and Northern Colorado.  As a result of this start, I was able to study at the Universidad Autónoma de México in México City. This was the start of a lifelong journey for many in our community.

 

Mariachi

 

There are many scholarly works written on mariachi.  A contemporary scholar is Dr. Adolfo Estrada, University of New Mexico.  He has written on the mariachi conferences in the Southwest with a deep study of mariachi: Ritual and Meaning in the Mariachi Festival Movement of the United States, Ph.D. Dissertation, Texas Tech University. An important Mexican scholar on mariachi is Jesús Jáuregui, who wrote El mariachi: símbolo musical de México, published by the Instituto Nacional de Antropología e Historia, Banpáis, 1990.  An easily accessible read is, Mariachi Music in America: Experiencing Music, Expressing Culture, by Daniel Sheehy, published by Oxford University Press. Three other books worth reading are: Mi vida, mis viajes, mis vivencias: Siete décadas en la música del mariachi, by Miguel Martínez, published by Culturas Populares de México, Hotel Mariachi: Urban Space and Cultural Heritage in Los Angeles, published by University of New Mexico Press, and Foundations of Mariachi Education, published the, The National Association for Music Education. These are fundamental for the true mariachi afficionado.

 

 

History

 

Often the question is asked about where did mariachi start? There is often quoted an out-of-date theory that mariachi is from the French word “mariage” from the French period of México in the 1860’. This was a theory presented in a book titled: Mexican Folkways by Francis Toor.  But, this has been disproven many times over by anthropologists, historians, and ethnomusicologists. The oldest references to mariachi are documented in more than 100 certificates of baptisms, burials, and marriages between 1832 and 1850 – this was earlier than the French invasion in México in the 1860’s. In a letter written by Catholic priest Cosme Santa Ana to the archbishop in 1852, the priest complains about the noise as well as the drinking of the mariachis, long before the French occupation. So, the word and music are not from the French period of México.

 

The question to ask is when did we start seeing mariachi evolving as we know it today? The Spanish introduced violins, guitars, and harps when they arrived in August of 1521 on the shores of México. We know that the word mariachi meant and means fandango or fiesta.  In the 1890’s, Gaspar Vargas started the Mariachi Vargas in Jalisco, México.

 

In 1905, President Porfidio Díaz, invited the Mariachi Vargas to play for him in México City during his campaign. This was a hallmark moment in the history of mariachi because the group and their music became an integral contribution to the patrimonio (national heritage) of México. In 1908 and 1909, the Cuarteto Coculense produced the first mariachi recordings. In 1920, Radio Station XEEB and XEW began broadcasting mariachi music from México City. At this time, there were no trumpets in the ensemble.

 

What makes mariachi mariachi?

 

There are eight socio-musical elements in mariachi music that make it unique.

 

First, the instrumentation and texture of mariachi instruments are only heard in mariachi music. The vihuela comes from a small 15^th century guitar shaped instrument tuned like a lute.

The vihuela and guitarrón provide the rhythm section to the mariachi, along with a guitar. The violins and trumpets provide the melody for the ensemble.

 

This instrument combination is unique to mariachi.

 

Secondly, the music genres of the mariachi are unique. The son jalisciense is a unique musical form that is played by mariachi. It features a rhythmic pattern called “sesquialtera”, alternating between 6/8 and 3/4 metrics. It is best represented in the musical piece known as, El Son de la Negra. Other genres are the bolero (a romantic style), huapango (with use of the falsetto voice), ranchera, corrido, and waltz.  The themes are universal to all people including: love, betrayal, death, politics, heroes, among others.

 

Third, performance methods and styles for mariachi are unique because mariachi can be 3 to 12 or more musicians.

 

Fourth, the singing styles for mariachi are inclusive of bel canto, opera voice and style, classical voice, folk voice, among others.

 

Fifth, the dance compositions for mariachi are many including waltz, polka, zapateado (heel clicking son rhythms), and others.

 

Sixth, the performance space for mariachi performance ranges from the concert stage to the street corner and everything in between. They can perform most anywhere at any time. They are mobile and not limited to a particular space for performance.

 

Seventh, the name mariachi. Mariachi is unique to the Mexican genre of songs and compositions that reflect the unique style and sound of mariachi. However, in recent times, mariachi groups have expanded their repertoire to include music of the Americas and beyond.

 

Eighth, performance clothing. Mariachis perform in trajes that are tiered to different levels including trajes de gala, media gala, and gran gala. If too hot, they can remove the jacket and vest and appear in one of many shirt styles.

 

The 1900’s and Mariachi

 

In the 1920, the first charro movies came out with the hallmark show titled: Alla en el Ranco Grande in 1936, followed by Ay Jalisco No Te Rajes featuring Jorge Negrete. Over 200 films were made in the 1900’s.  These films are still watched and are favorites of many Mexican people in México and the United States. The Golden Age of Mexican films featured mariachis with legendary performers such as Pedro Infante, Miguel Aceves Mejía, Lola Beltran, and José Alfredo Jiménez.

 

In 1958, Silvestre Vargas took over the Mariachi Vargas and soon hired Ruben Fuentes as the musical director and composer. In 1960, Natí Cano opened a restaurant, La Fonda, in Los Angeles, presenting a dinner-show for audiences coming from throughout the world.  In 1961, UCLA hosted the first student mariachi group on campus under the direction of Mark Fogelquist. Now there are many restaurants featuring gig mariachis throughout the southwest United States. In 1979, the first mariachi festival was held in San Antonio, Texas. Festivals provide opportunities for masters, practitioners, teachers, and students to study and learn mariachi music.

 

In 1980, Linda Ronstadt recorded Canciones de Mi Padre with Mariachi Vargas and it soon became one of the highest selling records. In 1986, José Hernández opened the Cielito Lindo restaurant (reopened as Casa del Sol Cocina) in Los Angeles and today the Mariachi Sol de México and the first female mariachi, Mariachi Reyna de Los Ángeles, stand as among the world’s leading mariachi performing groups.

 

There are now more than 1,000 schools offering classes in mariachi music with state and regional competitions, conferences, and festivals.  The major problem in the educational movement is recruiting qualified and credentialed mariachi instructors. The primary music book used by schools and community groups is Jeff Nevin’s, Mariachi Mastery, published by Kjos Music Company.  However, there are other resources that are available now.

 

Theater and Opera

 

In 2018, American Mariachi, was written and toured the United States.  It is a show about music and memory, tradition, culture.  American Mariachi by José Cruz is a show that brings tears and laughter.  Lucha is a young woman determined to relive her mother’s memory through mariachi.  Another major production is Cruzar la Cara de la Luna, an opera that opened in New York with music by José Pepe Martínez from a book by Leonard Foglia. The opera follows three generations of a family defined by the border they have crossed.

 

Colorado and Mariachi

 

Mariachis came to Colorado in the 50’s and 60’s. However, in 1998, I started the first accredited Colorado high school mariachi program in Adams County School District 14 in Commerce City, Colorado with a grant from the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA). I was fortunate to have worked as an artist under the NEA in earlier years and later as a program and grant evaluator. This gave me the background to administer and develop the program ACSD 14 program in mariachi and folklórico dance. In 2014, Isahar Mendez-Flores, a graduate of Adams City High School and the mariachi program initiated the Metropolitan State University Mariachi los Correcaminos de MSU Denver as a club. The club students wanted more. They wanted an accredited class in the music department. The school hired me as the professor where I taught and directed the program for the next ten years. The program has grown to host a regional mariachi conference and festival and many of the graduates are professional mariachis in Colorado and beyond. MSU Denver has partnered with the Latino Cultural Arts Center to host the Conference and Festival. There are two major events that we host. The Conference is in April and follows a workshop format for students to learn new music with accomplished maestros and they play a showcase concert at the end. The Festival is in September and presents the Mariachi Estelares All-State Mariachi comprised of students who have auditioned and have been selected as among the best to open for a grammy award headliner. This year, Lupita Infante will be bringing her music to Denver at Levitt Pavillion.

 

This past year, the university committed to hire a tenure track professor, Dr. Phil Ficsor, to teach the class, and I was promoted to the position of Artistic Director of Mariachi. During this time, the prestigious Rocky Ridge Music Camp opened Nuestras Raíces: Música Mariachi, a weeklong intensive mariachi music camp for secondary level students to study mariachi music. I serve as the director.

 

Professional mariachi groups have multiplied in Colorado as well as community training classes. This is another story that merits knowing but I will reserve that for another day.

 

I hope you have enjoyed reading about mariachi and wish that you will support your mariachi with love.

 

Lorenzo A. Trujillo, Ed.D., JD, is an affiliate professor in the Department of Music at Metropolitan State University of Denver. Copyright © Dr. Lorenzo A. Trujillo, 2025, Denver, Colorado.