1. Marichi Music & History By : TimoTeo Sargent a.k.a. Tyrone

2. History Miguel Martinez The roots of the Mariachi go back hundreds of years. It was the music of country people; music that celebrated the joys, the struggles, and the triumphs of the Mexican people. The Mariachi was a version of Spanish theatrical orchestra containing violins, guitars, and a harp. Groups were small and not generally known outside of the region from which they came.

3. Corrido The mariachi corrido is similar musically to the ranchera. The distinguishing characteristic between the genres lies in the lyrics. The corrido is a narrative song type and its verses relate a series of events. Corridos deal with historical events such as the Mexican Revolution or with personal experiences of significance. A whole body of corridos is devoted to famous horses, while more recently, drug or people smuggling has been a favorite topic. Not all corridos are appropriate for students. Some well-known corridos appropriate for student groups are Siete Leguas, Carabina Treinta Treinta, and El Caballo Blanco.

4. Polka The polka is very effectively rendered by the mariachi and several examples should be part of every group ’ s repertoire. As an instrumental genre, polkas allow singers a chance to rest—an important consideration for student mariachis that may rely heavily on one or two solo singers. The polka may require fairly advanced technique from the trumpets and often the violins, but there are some examples that can be successfully played by intermediate mariachi students: Jesusita en Chihuahua, Las Perlitas, and El Garabato.

5. Popurri With the proliferation of the mariachi festivals during the past 25 years, top-level professional mariachis have been pitted against one another in large venues ever more frequently. To maximize limited time slots, these groups frequently create medleys (potpourrís) from segments of well-known songs. These arrangements have become ever more elaborate and virtuosic, both instrumentally and vocally.