By admin 
TUCSON, Ariz. (13 News) – The hum of violins, the strum of the guitarrón, the blare of trumpets and the voices behind them: Mariachi is a familiar soundtrack to celebrations across Southern Arizona. In Tucson, the music is also part of a generations-long story of cultural connection and youth education.
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In 1964, Father Charles Rourke, an Irish Catholic priest at All Saints Catholic Church, taught a group of boys from Tucson’s barrio neighborhoods to play mariachi. They became Mariachi Los Changuitos Feos — “The Little Ugly Monkeys” — widely recognized as the first youth mariachi group in the United States.
The group toured across the country, performing at state fairs and for presidents and governors. Ruben Moreno, founder and director of Mariachi Luz de Luna, said the group stood out while celebrating Mexican heritage.
“They played state fairs, they played for presidents, they played for governors, they played almost anywhere because they were so distinctively different, and yet, acknowledging the Mexican heritage that makes up a lot of this country,” Moreno said.
Moreno was not a member of Los Changuitos Feos, but he went on to perform with mariachi groups internationally, notably Mariachi Cobre and Luz de Luna. He later helped bring mariachi into classrooms, helping pass the tradition to younger generations.
“The curriculum had to go through several stages, and it was finally approved by the state,” said Delfina Alvarez, secretary of the Tucson International Mariachi Conference. “It starts at the elementary level and goes all the way to the high school.”
Learning mariachi in the classroom
At Davis Bilingual Magnet School, students in Las Aguilitas de Davis learn mariachi after school. Founded by Alfredo Valenzuela, the program was the first youth mariachi program brought into a U.S. classroom. Valenzuela’s son, Jaime, now directs the ensemble.
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“Ever since my dad started this program, it’s been family,” Jaime Valenzuela said. “That’s what even means more for me — to keep the program running, keeping it strong.”
Bill Mark sent his own children to Davis, where they joined Las Aguilitas. Inspired by the program, he later started a mariachi ensemble at White Elementary. Students there practice after school, and kindergartners are expected to be welcomed into the program next semester. The school also teaches folklórico dance, connecting students with another Mexican cultural tradition.
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On Tucson’s south side, students at Sierra K-8 can choose mariachi or folklórico. In Edaena Poroj’s classroom, seventh and eighth graders learn mariachi from the proud guitarrón player. Poroj said the program welcomes students from all backgrounds, while helping Hispanic students connect with their identity.
“We’re ambassadors, we really are, of our culture, of the music, the beauty that is Mexico,” Poroj said. “To be able to instill in these kids, you know, where they come from, what it means, what has been given to the rest of the world is wonderful, through music.”
Poroj helps prepare students for high school programs, including Mariachi Los Diablitos at Sunnyside High School. The ensemble wears signature blue trajes and is led by Christopher Figueroa, a former Changuito and member of Mariachi Cobre. Figueroa said students gain more than musical skills.
“It teaches them discipline, responsibility, being a team member, and just being a part of a group,” he said.
Some students continue playing at the University of Arizona. The university’s Mariachi Arizona program gives students a chance to pursue the music at the collegiate level. Program director and instructor Alberto Ranjel said that opportunity helps bring people together.
“To express your culture all the way through the university level, it means that everybody not only takes it seriously, but they appreciate it,” Ranjel said. “And it’s a way to tie that community together at all levels.”
A tradition that keeps growing
The learning and performances extend beyond school. The Tucson International Mariachi Conference brings students and musicians from around the world to the Old Pueblo to learn, compete and perform.
From elementary classrooms to the university stage, Tucson’s mariachi programs give students a chance to build musical skills, learn about cultural history and carry a local legacy forward. What began with a group of boys in 1964 continues through new generations — showing that mariachi is not just taught in Tucson. It lives here.
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