TAMIU Scholarship Benefit Concert Presents Mariachi Nuevo Tecalitlán Saturday

The romantic strumming of string instruments, combined with the bright and lively sound of the trumpet will delight audiences once again as México’s legendary Mariachi Nuevo Tecalitlán returns to Laredo in concert Saturday, April 21 at 7 p.m. in Texas A&M International University’s (TAMIU) Fine and Performing Arts Recital Hall.

Tickets for the “El Mariachi Está de Fiesta” Concert are $45-$50 and can be purchased at TAMIU’s Bursar’s Office, located in the Senator Judith Zaffirini Student Success Center or at the door. Doors open at 6 p.m. Seating is limited.

Dr. Minita Ramírez, TAMIU vice president of Student Success, said concert proceeds benefit TAMIU student scholarships.

“The Mariachi Nuevo Tecalitlán Concert, which returns to Laredo for the fourth year, is a much-anticipated event among music enthusiasts who enjoy an evening of ballads, rancheras and traditional melodies of México,” Ramírez said, “We invite the community to be a part of this magical night and at the same time, help support TAMIU student scholarships.”

The Concert culminates TAMIU’s annual International Mariachi Festival, which is Thursday-Saturday, April 19-21 on the TAMIU campus. The Festival, designed for high school student mariachi groups, will welcome 17 Texas high schools this year; features a mariachi workshop provided by the University’s first-ever artists in residence, Mariachi Nuevo Tecalitlán; a performance competition; and Saturday’s concert.

Ramírez said a 400-plus students representing 17 high schools will participate in the Festival this year. They include Cotulla, Del Río, Cigarroa, Alexander, Nixon, Juarez Lincoln, LBJ, Lehman, Sharyland Pioneer, Martin, San Marcos, Sharyland, Somerset, United, Zapata, BL Gray and United South High Schools.

“Workshops begin on Thursday, April 19 at 8 a.m. with registration and a convocation and showcase of talents will be at 10 a.m. in the Center for the Fine and Performing Arts,” Ramírez said, “Then, students will break up into sectionals and on Friday, beginning at 5:30 p.m., we will start the high school competition.”

Door for the competition open at 5 p.m. Entry fee to see the competition is $5.

This year, a total of 15 schools will participate in the competition to vie for the position of best high school mariachi, Ramírez said.

“The winners of the competition will open the Mariachi Nuevo Tecalitlán Concert, as will the TAMIU Mariachi Internacional on Saturday, April 21,” she said.

As part of the Festival, TAMIU’s Music Department will also host auditions for students wishing to study music at TAMIU, Ramírez noted.

Mariachi Nuevo Tecalitlán was founded in 1965 by brothers Fernando Martínez Barajas and Pepe Martínez Barajas, and toured Europe, Latin America and the U.S. A second generation of musicians joined the 12-piece traditional Mexican group during the 1980s and 1990s --Fernando Martínez, Jr. and Alejandro Martínez among them.  In 1997, Fernando Martínez Barajas and Angel Martínez Arreguín, sons of Don Fernando, became Tecalitlán’s Musical Director and General Manager.

For more information, call the TAMIU Office of Student Success at 326.2273 or email mariachi@tamiu.edu

Additional information is available at www.tamiu.edu and on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube.