Roosevelt High mariachi hits the right notes in inaugural festival

One mariachi wore sneakers. Another wore boots.

One mariachi sported a sparkling charro outfit. Another wore plain black slacks and white shirt.

One mariachi sported a mop of hair resembling … well, a mop. Another had a cleanly shaved head.

They all had something in common: A love for mariachi music.

That much was in full display at Ratcliffe Stadium for the inaugural High School Mariachi Festival on March 25.

Mariachi de Roosevelt High won the competition – and the $1,500 cash prize – and one of its vocalists, junior Donavan Ramos, wowed the judges with his rendition of ‘Aventurero’ (Adventurous).

Mariachi Los Gavilanes de Delhi High won second place and $1,000. Mariachi León de Kerman High was third and pocketed $500.

The real winners were the performers and their supporters who saw the festival as a way of continuing a Mexican tradition.

“We don’t want to lose mariachi music. You will be the ones who can take the music to the world,” an emcee told the members of the six high school mariachi and two mariachi academy band members. “May mariachi music never end!”

Ever since it was founded in 1989, Roosevelt High’s mariachi had never entered a competition.

“The competitions that are around for this age group are not during the times that we’re in school, or we’re just getting back into school or they’re too far away,” said Roosevelt mariachi director Pamela Galicia.

And, sometimes, she added, the travel expenses can be prohibitive.

The Roosevelt mariachi, she said, was welcome.

“It’s a wonderful idea for the kids to be able to play for the community, and also to express and learn more about their heritage,” said Galicia, who has directed the group off and on since 2006. She also plays violin for Mariachi Tenochitlán.

The Roosevelt mariachi was the last high school group to perform, and it performed more songs with more vocalists than the earlier performers.

Roosevelt kicked off its performance with ‘El Mariachi de Mi Tierra’ (My Land’s Mariachi) and followed with classics like ‘Basurita’ (Trash) ‘El Gusto’ (That Taste) and ‘Reloj’ (Clock).

“We have student who have barely started their instruments just a couple of years ago to some that have been on their instruments for five or six years,” said Galicía, whose daughter Estrella plays violin and sings with the group.

As for the other vocalists, Galicia said the program “is blessed” to have so many.

“It’s kind of like the luck of the draw,” she said. “Every year it’s a different group because students leave and others come in. We’re really fortunate to have very strong singers this year,” she said.

Galicia enjoyed experiencing the festival.

“I love to see all the diversity in the students, the diversity in the instruments,” she said. “I love seeing all the students playing and singing, and really giving their all.”

Among the Roosevelt vocalists who performed – in addition to Estrella Galicia – were Dulce Álvarado, Emily Díaz, Wes Everick, Alexandra Sánchez, Ruby Udave, Juan Udave, and Ángel Álvarado.

Ramos was rated the best. He didn’t expect to win.

“I was just here doing what I love doing,” said Ramos, who won a recording session for two songs. “This is a lot of fun for me. There’s nothing else I’d rather do.”

He suggested ‘Aventurero’ to Galicia, and “she decided that it could be a signature song for today.”

Ramos, who plays on weekends at various events with a three-man group, wants a career in music.

“We play a little bit of everything,” said Ramos. “I love mariachi, don’t get me wrong; but, I have my group and we still play Mexican music. It’s a different style.”

Delhi’s mariachi performed ‘La Ley del Monte’ (The Mountain’s Law), ‘Caminos de Michoacán’ (Michoacán Roads), and ‘Si Nos Dejan’ (If They Let Us) during its set.

Vocalists Misael Ramírez and Gabriel Caballero stood out.

Among the female vocalists who had a strong showing was Ona Sánchez of Kerman. She performed ‘Caminos de Michoacán.’

“I have a pretty musical family, so everybody likes listening to mariachi and corridos and a bunch of banda,” said Sánchez. “So I kind of grew up around it. I’m Mexican, so I grew up with a lot of mariachi music around me.”

Sánchez began to play an instrument (the trumpet) this year.

The junior said it was “great getting to know a lot of other schools and knowing what they’re playing.”

Banda de Mariachis Montañeses kicked off the mariachi competition with ‘Los Barrandales del Puente’ (The Bridge’s Railings). Director Sean Salehi brought in 24 students for the event.

“We started playing mariachi music last school year, and the majority of these students started this year,” said Salehi.

He welcomed the festival as a way “for our crews to perform and compete in our area.”

Instructor Richard McCue played the trumpet and sang with Mariachi Los Tigres de Woodlake High.

“We had a brief hiatus during the pandemic because everything shut down,” said McCue, who has directed the mariachi program since 2016. “We’re in a complete rebuild right now.”

His father was the band director at Orosi High School, and had a mariachi program as well.

“I was looking for a group to play with and he said, “Well, play with the mariachi,’” said McCue, who later moved to Woodlake High and started that school’s mariachi group.

Among the youngest performers were a brother-and-sister act with Ilusión de Watsonville. Nine-year-old José Nieto thrilled the spectators with ‘México Lindo y Querido’ (Beautiful and Beloved México) and his 5-year-old sister Karime Adilene Nieto sang ‘Cielito Lindo’ (Beautiful Sky).