Educational Component
Each year 1,000 students of all ages come from all over the country
to learn from the mariachi and baile folklórico masters. The La Frontera Tucson International Mariachi Conference Workshops give intense study opportunities for children and adults who love mariachi and want it to be a bigger part of their lives. The classes help to instill self-confidence in the children through information, performance skills, and consistent growth in the tradition of mariachi.
High school mariachi groups can compete to win a $1,500 prize and scholarship from the Elisa Gastellum Memorial Foundation. The grant is designated for school-affiliated mariachi groups made up of 9th-12th grade students from Southern Arizona.
The unique point of the La Frontera Tucson International Mariachi workshops is how all the classes are taught by mariachi and baile folklórico masters — some of the best performers in the world. Imagine how the children must feel to learn from their musical heroes!
Classes cover instruction for guitarron, guitar, trumpet, violin, vihuela, harp, and voice along with baile folklórico dance. There are four levels of workshops from Level 1 (minimum 4th Grade, age 10) to Masters (mariachi’s with at least 8 years performing experience).
After two and a half days of study, the students have a chance to walk on stage to perform for their friends and families at the Participant Showcase on Thursday night … or they could be invited to play with the masters at the Espectacular Concert on Friday or the Fiesta de Garibaldi on Saturday!
