Mariachi band guitarron section rehearsal at the Viva El Mariachi summer camp at Greiner. Photo courtesy of Felipe Diaz.
The “Mexican Grito,” a belting sound that is often heard right before the strums and notes of the culture’s music, is just one of the many sounds in the midst of a Mariachi performance. At W.E. Greiner’s Exploratory Arts Academy, these sounds vibrate through the auditorium during Dallas ISD’s week-long “Viva El Mariachi” summer camp.
Greiner has become home to one of the largest Mariachi programs in Dallas ISD with 120 students registered for the camp, an increase from last year’s 75. “Viva El Mariachi” is open to any DISD student through 12th grade who knows how to play the violin, trumpet, guitar, guitarron, harp or vocals.
Maria Garcia, one of the camp directors, said she started the Mariachi curriculum in 2009, but it has grown exponentially. Over the years, Mariachi has gained immense popularity in the school’s fine arts and subsequently brought students, teachers and parents together.
“When I came to Greiner as a teacher, I noticed that the culture here was more Hispanic and orchestra was not as popular. I saw Mariachi instruments in the back of the practice room, and thought, ‘Whoa, this could work!’ It started out as 30 kids after school. Soon after, we integrated Mariachi into a fine arts class and then enrollment got so big, Mariachi became a staple of our academy,” Garcia said.
99% of students enrolled in orchestra at Greiner are also enrolled in Mariachi.
“The kids fell in love with it just like I fell in love with it,” Garcia said. “And along the way, they’re picking up team-building skills, responsibility, maturity and become more in tune with where they come from and their culture.”
Co-director Felipe Diaz said that Mariachi has always been a part of his heritage and performing kept him on a straight path throughout his life.
He said Mariachi integrates the culture of a majority-hispanic student body with the students’ passion for music. Diaz said that the students’ parents get heavily involved because “it hits them culturally as well.”
Garcia and Diaz said that funding is their largest obstacle when it comes to organizing the camp because they have to budget for the students’ breakfast and lunch, transportation, t-shirts and sheet music. Diaz said having support from the Executive Director of the Greater Dallas Youth Orchestra Cathy Hernandez and DISD’s Instrumental Director Rametria Smith made this year’s camp possible.
Through these camps, Dallas ISD said it hopes to spread the message that “we are who we are unapologetically and that is, we are full of cultural diversity.”
DISD also hopes to provide more spaces and opportunities for alums to come back and serve their community, ensuring that students know DISD will always be their home. DISD said that this year’s camp is the first to be intentional about bringing back graduated students to intern and teach Mariachi.
Carlos Martinez, a college intern, studied Mariachi at The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley before switching to landscape architecture. He said Mariachi taught him commitment and effort, two skills he says he will carry into the real-life.
“You show up every day to rehearsal and you show that commitment. In the same way, you go to work and give 100%. You work with your ensemble in the same way you work with your co-workers,” Martinez said. “Mariachi is a team effort like any job you’ll have.”
Isabelle Hernandez, 13, attended camp for the second summer as a trumpet player.
“If you’re only playing the trumpet or violin, it’s not going to be a Mariachi band. Everyone has to come together from every section to create beautiful and full music,” Hernandez said.
Hernandez said she first joined not knowing how to read music, but her teachers encouraged her to reach her full potential. Her favorite part of camp is meeting and performing with people she wouldn’t have been able to otherwise.
Abraham Mojica, 17, came to camp with his guitar in hand after attending Harmony Science Academy where he did not have the option to explore music.
Mojica said that he was offered a chance to join a mariachi group and he took the opportunity to learn more about his Mexican heritage. Mariachi has given him both quality time with his culture and his family.
He said his goal is to study Mariachi at The University of Texas at Arlington after graduating.
“It makes us so proud to see students continue embracing mariachi after they’ve left here, to see the long-lasting impact it has had on their life,” Garcia said. “That’s the ultimate gift to us.”
