BROWNSVILLE — Berta Guerra has wanted to bring a mariachi festival to Brownsville for more than a decade.
And although it has been a challenge for her and the Mr. Amigo Association, the competition finally is becoming a reality in 2017.
“It is a lot of work, but our primary goal is to promote musical awareness across the Rio Grande Valley and Mexico,” said Guerra, the director of the mariachi festival. “This goes perfectly in line with our mission to promote Hispanic culture in Mexico and the U.S. “
As part of the Mr. Amigo Inaugural Mariachi Festival and Competition in February 2017, middle school and high school mariachi groups from all over South Texas will compete and learn from each other.
And they will have a chance to be taught by the 14 members of “Nuevo Tecalitlan,” the Guadalajara-based group that has released 50 CDs and performed worldwide.
“Mariachi directors throughout the Valley admire their technicality and instrumentation, and we know that students throughout the Valley respect them and admire them,” Guerra said. “They have a lot to offer us since we are all about mariachi in the classic style.”
The two-day event will promote a higher level of musical education that can be very valuable to a student’s growth, Guerra said.
In particular, it can make a student more well-rounded and help them in all subjects: math, science, reading and social studies.
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