Students showcase their Mariachi skills

Mariachi is a traditional Mexican style of music showcased around the world. At IU, 20 students are preparing to perform a free Mariachi de la Flor End of Term Concert at 7:30 p.m. Thursday in the Neal-Marshall Black Culture Center Grand Hall. They are part of the Mariachi Performance and Culture class in the Department of Folklore and Ethnomusicology. By preparing for the concert, the students have gained knowledge of Latin American culture through mariachi music. Mariachi is most closely associated with the Jalisco region in Mexico, but the term also can refer to the musician and the ensemble that plays it.\nDr. Cándida F. Jáquez from the Department of Folklore and Ethnomusicology said mariachi generally consists of two trumpets, two to three violins, a guitarrón, a vihuela and a guitar or two. All of the musicians sing. The guitarrón, a six-string bass instrument that is tuned A-D-G-C-E-A, and the vihuela, a gut-strung Spanish instrument similar to the guitar in shape but tuned like a six-course lute, are special instruments with roots in mariachi. \nMariachi music is performed for celebrations in the Mexican community, Jáquez said. \n"It can be a big part of important life events like weddings; quinceañeras, a young woman's fifteenth birthday and debut into society; and funerals," she said.\nThe students in the Mariachi Performance and Culture course bring a wide variety of experience to the concert. Senior Ambrya Smoot from Thousand Oaks, Calif., said she feels her upbringing in and around a strong Mexican culture has had some effect on the course. \n"I've always had a lot of exposure to the Mexican American world through growing up in Southern California, but I didn't know anything about their music traditions," Smoot said. "Mariachi is a fun and beautiful tradition, and I'm glad that it's a part of my life now."\nThe mestizo culture draws its historical influences from European, African and indigenous cultures. A violin, trumpet and guitar are all present from European influences in Mexico. Mexican regional instruments also have been created out of this cultural synthesis. \n"(The vihuela is) a five-stringed, small, guitar-like instrument with a curved back for a distinct and sharp sound," said senior Thomas Laxson, a geography major from Noblesville, Ind.\nLaxson began learning this instrument at the beginning of the semester and said he feels nervous about the concert. \n"Unlike most, if not all, of my classmates, I've never performed music in front of an audience," he said. \nThe class will perform eight songs, including "La Negra" (The Dark-Skinned Woman), "El Jarabe Tapatío" (Jalisciense Jarabe), "Cielito Lindo" (Beautiful Heaven) and the familiar "Volver, Volver" (To Return, To Return). The concert will begin with a video introduction from Jáquez and "La Negra," which is meant to welcome the audience to the concert. \nJaquez said because the course is offered sporadically, it is a treat for her to teach as well as a challenge to determine what pieces will be needed for the ensemble. The course combines lectures, readings, quizzes and music rehearsals. The class also has an open door policy, and students' prior knowledge can range from little or no experience to having previously played in a mariachi. \n"It's an unusual class," Jáquez said. "It's been a unique experience to see students immerse themselves into a different culture and be able to express themselves musically." \nAlthough the ensemble will bring instruments not often seen in the contemporary mariachi -- like the flute and clarinet, Jáquez said she is confident because some university ensembles reflect the available instrumentation. Dancers and guest performers will give the ensemble a complete and polished finish, she said. \nBut some of the group is taking more from this course than just a cultural experience. Smoot said she is delighted she had the experience to take this class, especially during second semester of her senior year. \n"This class is wonderful because it combines my love of folklore and love of music performance," Smoot said. "I think the thing that sticks out most in my mind about this class is how we have come together as a group. We have a strong sense of community within the classroom. Such things you want to happen when you are making music together."\n-- Contact Staff Writer Stephanie Fedor at smfedor@indiana.edu.