Starting a Mariachi Program

by Noe Sanchez, MENC Mariachi National Chair

Schools all around the country are making the decisive move to start mariachi programs for their students. They realize that mariachi music not only reaches more Hispanic students than traditional music classes, but it also offers non-Hispanic students a broader cultural base. Perhaps the biggest challenge for schools wanting to start a mariachi program is the program’s implementation. To accomplish this task successfully, several steps need to be taken:

1. Create a Proposal for Your Principal or Administration
2. Select an Instructor
3. Secure a Room
4. Schedule Your Classes
5. Develop a Curriculum
6. Purchase Instruments
7. Teach the Class

1. Create a Proposal for Your Principal or Administration

Decision makers need to have facts and figures to plan ahead. You will need to turn in your proposal six months to a year before your planned start to allow administrators time to consider it. The proposal should include instructors necessary to teach the class, number of students expected, schedule, a budget to purchase instruments, room expectations, and resources such as music and strings. Uniforms should not be included until the students can play a few songs. Talk to other mariachi directors in your area or attend a mariachi conference to acquire information for planning your program.

2. Select an Instructor

Not having a dedicated instructor will jeopardize all your hard work in starting a program. Once the principal has approved your proposal, then immediately start advertising for the position. Know how much this position will pay and how many classes will be offered. Begin interviewing applicants as soon as possible. You want to hire an instructor that is qualified in teaching mariachi music. That means that this person should have pedagogy background in class management and teaching processes. This person should be knowledgeable in mariachi repertoire and mariachi instruments. Places to look for qualified applicants are:

• university music departments
• mariachi conferences
• other school mariachi programs, and
• local talent.

3. Secure a Room

A room is essential for the mariachi classes. Your mariachi program will be more successful if the mariachi students feel that their program is respected as much as the other music programs. A separate room dedicated to mariachi instruction works best if at all possible. The room should be equipped with storage for mariachi instruments, a stereo, a piano, a chalkboard with staff lines, practice rooms, and an office to store music, strings, and the other items you will need for your program.

4. Schedule Your Classes

Since beginner students learn best in homogeneous classes, work with only one instrument type at a time, grouping violins, trumpets, armonias (guitars, vihuelas), and so on. After students have perfected musical fundamentals, then combine them into heterogeneous classes. It might be possible to schedule some rehearsals after school or during the day to combine the students into groups. You will need to recruit early to assure that you have students to cover each instrument. If possible, have an established mariachi group perform at your elementary schools to demonstrate each of the traditional mariachi instruments.

5. Develop a Curriculum

Start by visiting the MENC Web site and view the various mariachi curricula listed. These curriculum examples will provide a good foundation to develop what works best for your school and students. The MENC Web site will also provide resources vital to your new mariachi program’s development. Use the Mariachi Forum to ask fellow MENC members about teaching mariachi instruments and teaching repertoire.

6. Purchase Instruments

Your next step is to start purchasing instruments. It is wise to submit purchase orders before or during May so you will have instruments in the students’ hands when August comes around. The Mariachi Connection is the largest distributor of mariachi supplies in the country and can provide the instruments, sheet music, strings, uniforms, and accessories you will need for your program. To find other reliable sources for mariachi supplies, contact fellow directors of mariachi programs and ask for their recommendations. Consult with your school bookkeeper to see if bids are necessary for POs over a certain value. Remember to plan all of this well in advance of your needs.

7. Teach the Class

Plan to provide staff development or curriculum guidance to the instructor you hire, especially if that individual does not have a university degree. It is vital that the instructor understand all school policies and procedures. If you hire a band, orchestra, or choir director to teach the mariachi class, consider purchasing instructional videos through The Mariachi Connection or other vendors to help them become more proficient on less familiar instruments. Also provide staff development to these individuals specifically for mariachi instruction. Once your teacher is in place, have that person create a scope and sequence for the program. Have them utilize the curriculum developed with the help of MENC resources, develop detailed lesson plans, and start implementing those lesson plans from the beginning. Remember, this IS a music class teaching music fundamentals. You are simply doing so using the genre of mariachi music and tapping into the cultural history of your students.

I hope this has provided a few pointers to start and implement a mariachi program at your school. I recommend that you start your planning early, use the expertise of those already in the field to help you build your program, and bring this beautiful music to as broad a student population as possible. You will be amazed at the student participation, the community support, and the parent involvement a program like this can provide to your school and music department.