Mariachi Ensemble Brings New Sounds to A&M-Commerce

The newly established student organization will perform for the first time later this week

A new cultural experience has emerged at Texas A&M University-Commerce as the Mariachi Ensemble looks to wow audiences with performances of traditional Mexican music.

Officially organized in May 2024, the ensemble is different from other musical groups at the university, as they officially function as a student organization rather than a part of the A&M-Commerce School of Music. Even still, most of the students participating are also majoring in music.

Starting Out

The group's faculty advisor, Dr. Tomas Espinosa, assistant professor of bilingual and ESL education, is well suited for the role. He participated in mariachi ensembles for eight years during his studies at the University of Texas at El Paso and Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi.

Espinosa said that upon arriving at A&M-Commerce in 2023, he was surprised to see that the university did not already feature a mariachi ensemble for students.

“I started having conversations with university administration and the School of Music about forming this group, and they have been very supportive the entire time,” Espinosa said. “The response from students was great as well; It was obvious that plenty of students had a desire to participate.”

Making Music

The group consists of more than a dozen members, all split between parts that make up a traditional mariachi ensemble: trumpets, violins, armonia (which includes the guitar, the vihuela—a smaller, higher-pitched guitar—and the guitarrón, a larger, lower-pitched guitar) and vocalists.

Since mariachi ensembles typically do not feature conductors, Espinosa said they can be a great way for the students to build valuable skills.

“Performing in this type of group allows students to build trust, communication and cohesion with one another,” Espinosa said. “They need to work to act as one unit without the aid of a conductor, which can be a challenge.”

Student Perspective

Veronica Flores serves as president of the mariachi student organization. A junior music education major from Palmer, Texas, Flores normally plays the clarinet. However, she took on the violin when joining the mariachi ensemble. She says that mariachi is very important to many of the students in the organization. Even if this is their first time in a mariachi ensemble, this form of music has been a constant presence in their lives.

“I feel like for many of us, mariachi has always been a part of our lives in some way,” Flores said. “It's a part of our culture that we're excited to be a part of.”

She hopes that this first cohort of performers can leave behind a strong foundation for future ensemble members to build on and grow the organization.

Debut Performance

The A&M-Commerce Mariachi Ensemble was formally introduced to the university community at a Hispanic Heritage Month celebration in September 2024. The ensemble is gearing up for its first solo performance in celebration of Dia de los Muertos on November 1, 2024 at 5:30 p.m. in the Finney Concert Hall.

The setlist for their debut concert will include classic staples and admission is free and open to the public.

For more information on the Mariachi Ensemble Student Organization at A&M-Commerce, contact Dr. Tomas Espinosa.