The word mestizo, denoting a mix of European and Amerindian heritage, is a perfect term to apply to mariachi music. Originally a Mexican regional style blending traditional native American sounds with European band and orchestral music (a product in part of Mexico's brief occupation by Austro-Hungarian forces in the 1860s), mariachi has gained popularity north of the border as well. Today in many parts of the U.S., especially the Southwest, students are involved in thriving mariachi programs at school. Violins are an essential component of any mariachi group, and so string teachers may find it rewarding to incorporate mariachi instruction into their normal classical curriculum.
Mark Fogelquist, a mariachi instructor at Chula Vista Middle School in Chula Vista, California, and one of the country's leading experts on the genre, points out that the differences between classical and mariachi are many. The primary purpose of the violin in mariachi music is to complement trumpet melodies, and so the most notable element of this style of playing is use of the entire bow. "I have my students use whole bows and be very aggressive with the bow from the very beginning," says Fogelquist. "Violins are trying to produce a lot of sound because they are competing with the trumpets." He adds that open strings are used freely and, in fact, are desired.
The word mestizo, denoting a mix of European and Amerindian heritage, is a perfect term to apply to mariachi music. Originally a Mexican regional style blending traditional native American sounds with European band and orchestral music (a product in part of Mexico's brief occupation by Austro-Hungarian forces in the 1860s), mariachi has gained popularity north of the border as well. Today in many parts of the U.S., especially the Southwest, students are involved in thriving mariachi programs at school. Violins are an essential component of any mariachi group, and so string teachers may find it rewarding to incorporate mariachi instruction into their normal classical curriculum.
Mark Fogelquist, a mariachi instructor at Chula Vista Middle School in Chula Vista, California, and one of the country's leading experts on the genre, points out that the differences between classical and mariachi are many. The primary purpose of the violin in mariachi music is to complement trumpet melodies, and so the most notable element of this style of playing is use of the entire bow. "I have my students use whole bows and be very aggressive with the bow from the very beginning," says Fogelquist. "Violins are trying to produce a lot of sound because they are competing with the trumpets." He adds that open strings are used freely and, in fact, are desired.
The word mestizo, denoting a mix of European and Amerindian heritage, is a perfect term to apply to mariachi music. Originally a Mexican regional style blending traditional native American sounds with European band and orchestral music (a product in part of Mexico's brief occupation by Austro-Hungarian forces in the 1860s), mariachi has gained popularity north of the border as well. Today in many parts of the U.S., especially the Southwest, students are involved in thriving mariachi programs at school. Violins are an essential component of any mariachi group, and so string teachers may find it rewarding to incorporate mariachi instruction into their normal classical curriculum.
Well...I thought this article was really cool! It's not the article in it's entirety, but I'll post the link and cite it just in case you want to read it.
I liked this article because it speaks of an art form with European, Native American, and Latin American influences.
If you click on the link to the actual article you can hear some Mariachi by clicking "listen"(it's on the right side underneath toolbar).
I really liked the comment you left on my blog about music and dance. That was a really cool thought. I hadn't thought of it like that before. Thanks! :)
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