UNLV launches mariachi program to honor Mexican culture

LAS VEGAS (KLAS) — For the first time the University of Nevada, Las Vegas is debuting a mariachi program exploring the traditional Mexican folk music that originated in the late 1800s.

“The culture is just so rich. The music is one of the most beautiful kinds of music I’ve heard in my life,” Stephen Blanco, director of mariachi for UNLV’s School of Music, said.

Professor Blanco initially launched the program at Las Vegas High School before introducing it to UNLV for the fall semester. He hopes the program will fill the student-to-teacher pipeline and address the growing demand for mariachi instructors in the Clark County School District.

“There’s such an overwhelming demand of students who want to participate in learning this music at school,” Blanco voiced.

Guitarist Martin Alvarez-Lopez is one of many students who completed the program and is now continuing his education at UNLV.

“I grew up playing mariachi all throughout middle school and high school in the Clark County School District and I really found a passion for it,” Alvarez-Lopez said. “Seeing that the university is supporting this adventure and letting us create a mariachi program here really means a lot to myself and the community.”

UNLV’s School of Music is offering three mariachi classes this semester, with plans to expand to a total of eight courses. In the spring, they will introduce two more classes: History of Mariachi and Mariachi Arranging. These courses are designed to celebrate and preserve Mexican culture and heritage through the vibrant art of mariachi music.

“There’s so much culture that comes from Mexico,” Alvarez-Lopez said. “We have a bunch of different styles and genres of songs that we play and each of them blends to create a harmonic ensemble. We have guitars, violins, trumpets; there’s a big mix of instruments that create a beautiful song.”

Although new on campus, this rising group of performers is ready to take center stage as ‘Mariachi Revolución’.

“Be on the lookout for UNLV’s mariachi. We’re going to do big things and there’s a lot coming from us,” Alvarez-Lopez added.

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