Hispanic Cultural Heritage Month: Mariachi, New Mexico

When it comes to mariachi music, there is meaning behind every mariachi tragedy.

“We share a lot of special moments with people, like weddings and birthdays,” he said. Mundo Marquez, a local mariachi musician.

Marquez has been playing mariachis for 10 years. However, building a career as a mariachi musician was not a plan.

“Playing mariachi appealed to me. It kept taking care of me, you know. In every way… mentally and physically, ”Marquez said.

Meanwhile, 77-year-old trumpeter Pedro Sepulveda’s desire to be a mariachi began early.

“I remember hearing a trumpet that immediately touched my soul,” Sepulveda said.

He got his first trumpet and started going out for concerts at the age of 11.

Mariachis usually have six different instruments. Two of them are only used in mariachi music.

“People always ask for the name of the instrument. It is not found everywhere. It’s Vihuela and Guitarron because I play the rhythm section, ”Marquez said.

“Grit” is well known in mariachis.

“It’s natural. It’s something that you can explain to how you feel, and when you feel something, only you feel it,” Sepulveda said.

Calling us mariachi is “part of our culture. It’s part of our Mexican culture, ”Sepulveda said.

“For me, being able to express it is my greatest privilege. It is a blessing. It’s very special, ”Marquez said.

For Sepulveda, Mariachi has been playing for generations.

“I truly consider myself the great-grandfather of all the New Mexico musicians you’ve known since my time,” Sepulveda said.

“I learned to sing with Pete,” Marquez said. “We’re just going to go in, and Pete still likes to guide us there.” He’ll hear it sound like that when you hear that song.

“We’re just getting started, and then he says, ‘OK, let’s go back and try again,'” he added.

In Albuquerque, New Mexico Mariachi Spectacular de Albuquerque This is an annual event where musicians from across the country come together. It started in 1991.

Noberta Fresquez and her colleagues organized the first meeting. They said, “We have 60 students, and today, with Mariachi dancers and musicians, we are too close to 1000.”

Fresquez has always had a passion for mariachi music, and creating this program was another way to make it easier.

“I was not aware of the impact it had had,” she said. “It was just a labor of love that I knew there were enough people to love it.”

The conference began teaching students the history of music.

Often, many years of Mariachi Jonathan Clark share Mariachi history and its musical documentation with young students.

To tell the story, the Mariachi Conference in Albuquerque began to celebrate the pioneers.

“We didn’t have to bring in pioneers, basically educate them and start sharing information about unrecognized musicians,” Fresquez said.

It is an honor for Clark to share the story of a hero in mariachi music.

“It’s a real privilege. You know, I feel like this is my destiny, and unbeknownst to me, this is what I should do to Earth, to this Earth, and I will. I think that was what I was doing, ”Clark said.

With over 30 years dating, Fresquez will retire next year, but that doesn’t mean the spectacular will retire with her.

It is organized by Atrisco Heritage Foundation.

“I am very comfortable knowing that it is there, that it will continue, and we are grateful for the support of the community. It’s definitely a community program, ”Fresquez said.

Watch the video above for more information.