April 19th, 2024, Browsnville – Texas Southmost College (TSC) is proud to present its inaugural Mariachi Fest, which will take place on Friday, April 19, and Saturday, April 20, 2024. Spanning the Performing Arts Center and Jacob Brown Auditorium, the event promises to be two days filled with music.
Organized by TSC music instructor and program administrator Avigai Gonzalez, the festival will host an array of competitions, informative workshops, and exciting performances to promote a greater awareness of the benefits that music can introduce into the lives of those who engage with it.
When asked what to expect from the festival, Gonzalez enthusiastically replied, “Two days full of music, non-stop. From the morning to evening on Friday and Saturday. Every step of the way, you should expect to hear people competing, teaching, or performing music at any given moment.”
Throughout the two-day event, there will be a series of group and vocal performance competitions involving participants from middle and high schools across Texas. Workshops will also be hosted throughout both days so that student performers will have opportunities to further hone their skills with their instruments of choice.
Finally, two Grand Performances will cap off each day, featuring live sets from Mariachi Juvenil Atzlan, Mariachi UTRGV Atzlan, and Mariachi Sol de Mexico de Jose Hernandez.
To Gonzalez, putting together an event such as this achieves her goal of helping to spread awareness and appreciation for this music to new audiences. In her experience, the best way to inspire is through immersion.
“I grew up in a family immersed in cultural music,” said Gonzalez. “My father was a composer and played Mariachi Norteño, so we grew up listening to his music nearly every day.”
This immersion fostered a genuine love for Mariachi, which further developed into a mission to continue studying music with the hope of inspiring others to cultivate an interest in it. “I’ve been studying and performing music for most of my life, but I chose to get my master’s degree in education because I wanted to put myself in a position to help a new generation of young people develop a love for this music.”
Because of her background, there is also a genuine desire to celebrate the rich cultural history of Mariachi music. Gonzalez feels that the power of Mariachi music extends past being a genre of music, seeing it as a source of empowerment.
“Representing the traje and mariachi in the field means a lot to me. When I was younger, it was uncommon to see a lot of women performing in the genre, but whenever I put on the traje, I not only feel honored, but it’s almost like a superhero outfit that empowers us to do the best that we can,” Gonzalez remarked with a smile. “It inspires so much passion in performing, and it makes me incredibly happy to see so many young boys and girls filled with the same enthusiasm when they put on their outfits and perform.”
For those who already have an appreciation for the music but are curious or hesitant about taking the step from spectator to performer, Gonzalez is more than eager to impart some heartfelt advice.
“Don’t doubt yourself. When you have the love of music and a passion for the art, it will always be with you. Embrace the idea of identifying yourself as a musician and go for it. You might surprise yourself.”
For more information and ticket sales, please visit the Texas Southmost College Mariachi Festival page.
“Representing the traje and mariachi in the field means a lot to me. When I was younger, it was uncommon to see a lot of women performing in the genre, but whenever I put on the traje, I not only feel honored, but it’s almost like a superhero outfit that empowers us to do the best that we can,” Gonzalez remarked with a smile. “It inspires so much passion in performing, and it makes me incredibly happy to see so many young boys and girls filled with the same enthusiasm when they put on their outfits and perform.”
Gonzalez said that her genuine love for Mariachi further developed into a mission to continue studying music with the hope of inspiring others to cultivate an interest in it. “I’ve been studying and performing music for most of my life, but I chose to get my master’s degree in education because I wanted to put myself in a position to help a new generation of young people develop a love for this music.”
