Next week the Tucson International Mariachi Conference will blitz the city with a four-day deluge of musicians who will jam, party and ultimately wrap up this Southern Arizonan tradition with a grand-scale concert and fiesta at the Casino del Sol Resort.
For decades, the mariachi conference has been a hub for countless young musicians who have learned from the masters in workshops and classes, spawning so much talent that Tucson is now known elsewhere for its good players, says John Contreras, who is the music director for the conference and also a board member.
Then there’s unique events like the showcase concert, where young musicians get to strut their stuff. And Fiesta Garibaldi is a sort of a replica of Mexico City’s Plaza Garibaldi, where hundreds of mariachis gather to play for an all-night party of fun and music, jamming often till the early morning hours, Contreras said.
A Catholic Mass with mariachi music, where the musicians go to nurture the conference, is Saturday, the morning after a big-time concert with top stars like Mariachi Internacional Guadalajara and Mariachi Divas de Cindy Shea.
“The mariachi world will be rocking,” Contreras says.
The conference dates back to 1982, when, with the help of artists like Linda Ronstadt, La Frontera, the Arizona-based behavioral health organization, organized the first conference. Since then, the event has taken off, says Delfina Álvarez, who began as volunteer during the first conference and is now a member of the board.
Álvarez waxed nostalgic over being able to meet mariachi legends like Lucha Villa and Silvestre Vargas, once the leader of Mariachi Vargas de Tecalitlán, the quintessential ensemble during Mexico’s golden film age.
“We were very lucky, those of us that were around in the beginning,” she said.
Adriana Dalton, 18, a Pueblo Magnet High School senior and violinist who has been attending the mariachi conference for years, said the chance for students to learn personally from masters by taking the workshops is invaluable. She encouraged young musicians who want to attend the workshops to sign up at the conference website.
“Reach out to us and we will reach back,” says Dalton, who chairs the conference’s student advisory board.
Contreras, 42, who also teaches music at Pueblo High, credits the conference with giving Tucson some legitimate mariachi cred, citing great ensembles like Mariachi Cobre, a group that started out locally and is an international act.
He adds that with upcoming holidays like Cinco de Mayo and Mother’s Day, it’s a good time to kick things off with this year’s conference.
He says: “Be ready: It’s mariachi madness.”
