Ogden faculties implementing mariachi program: ‘It represents the tradition of our group’

OGDEN — As she’s grown up, mariachi music — typical of Mexico — has been frequent in Daphne Iglesias’ family.

Accordingly, when the sixth-grader began taking part in guitar for a brand new mariachi music group at East Ridge Elementary in Ogden, her mom, initially from Mexico, was happy. “My mother’s pleased with me,” Daphne mentioned.

Lilah Martinez, a fifth-grader who performs vihuela and sings for the group, obtained an analogous response. A vihuela, one of many customary mariachi devices, seems like a guitar, however is smaller and has a better pitch. “My dad and mom find it irresistible,” she mentioned.

The Ogden College District’s new mariachi program — a rarity in Utah, however reflective of the massive Latino inhabitants within the Ogden system — remains to be evolving. This system launched final October at East Ridge as an after-school providing and a program, additionally provided after faculty, is now taking form at Odyssey Elementary. For the 2024-25 faculty yr, the district plans to implement mariachi courses into the curriculum at Ben Lomond Excessive College and at Mound Fort and Highland junior excessive faculties.

Even when it is nonetheless forming, although, the ten or so youngsters within the East Ridge after-school program — nonetheless within the strategy of mastering their devices — are having fun with it. Mariachi teams characteristic violins, guitars, vocals, vihuelas and guitarróns, which appear to be guitars however are a lot bigger and have a bass tone. Trumpets are additionally a normal mariachi instrument, although the East Ridge group lately misplaced their trumpet participant.

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“They’re enthusiastic about it. It is one thing totally different,” mentioned Adam Kozlewski, an Ogden College District music trainer who instructs the group together with Janet Epperson, one other district music trainer. “I simply find it irresistible when it connects to the children. They’re so excited.”

With a excessive focus of Hispanic college students, a mariachi program appears a pure slot in Ogden, although all college students are welcome to participate no matter ethnicity. A bit over half of all Ogden College District college students are Hispanic, in line with Utah Board of Schooling figures, whereas Ogden is about 30% Latino, in line with U.S. Census Bureau information, most of them of Mexican descent.

“I believe it represents the tradition of our group,” Epperson mentioned.

Past that, a evaluation of arts programming in Ogden faculties that preceded the launch of the mariachi program discovered demand.

“Certainly one of our findings is that our group, college students and academics voiced the will to have music courses dedicated to mariachi/Latino fashion,” mentioned Carrie Maxson, a district administrator. “We even have very sturdy help with our college board, faculty and district administration. Our group can also be a giant help.”

The Ogden program joins the more-established mariachi providing at Esperanza Elementary in West Valley Metropolis as, maybe, the one different initiative of its type in Utah. This system at Esperanza, a constitution faculty with a scholar physique that is practically 98% Latino, launched about 10 years in the past.

“It’s a part of the varsity’s philosophy. It’s an intervention to help cultural retention, which helps college students improve their feeling of belonging,” mentioned Eulogio Alejandre, the principal and government director of Esperanza. “We all know that college students who really feel like they belong are more likely to do nicely at school.”

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Alejandre mentioned retaining mariachi packages afloat will be robust. The Esperanza music teacher, Allan Moreno, has helped this system there thrive. He welcomes new packages, although, and will probably be selling mariachi as a college providing at a efficiency by the Esperanza group at Wasatch Excessive College in Heber Metropolis on April 30.

“They’re troublesome to function. It requires information of music and keenness for the tradition,” Alejandre mentioned.

Ogden College District officers are within the strategy of recruiting college students to participate within the deliberate courses within the coming faculty yr at Ben Lomond Excessive College and Mound Fort and Highland junior excessive faculties, in line with Maxson. And even when mariachi packages are a brand new factor in Utah, Epperson says the Utah Music Educators Affiliation is attempting to advertise creation of extra mariachi packages. “I see this as a rising development,” she mentioned.

At a extra primary degree, college students like Daphne mentioned the category provides them a chance to do one thing most of their classmates aren’t doing. For now, the East Ridge group is studying “De Colores,” “La Llorona” and “Cielito Lindo.” “You’ll be able to present your mates you may play cool songs,” she mentioned.