Mariachi Herencia de México

GRADES 3-12

Mariachi Herencia de México, an ensemble of students from Chicago’s immigrant barrios, has scored a surprise hit with their debut album of traditional Mexican music. The album reached number 2 on the iTunes’ Latin chart in its first week and went on to earn a Latin Grammy nomination.

With members ranging in age from 11 to 18, the ensemble is an offshoot of the Mariachi Heritage Foundation — a non-profit which provides mariachi music instruction to more than 2,100 students through Chicago Public Schools.

These impressive student musicians now perform in major mariachi festivals and have recorded with some of the genre’s most respected artists from both sides of the border. Through their performances, they send a message to the world about the power of young people uplifting their cultural heritage.

In this special performance for school audiences, the ensemble will perform its award-winning music while also sharing the history of the mariachi tradition; an introduction to mariachi instruments; geographic background of the different styles of mariachi songs, such as the ranchera, son, jarocho, huapango, and bolero; and provide insight into what playing mariachi music means to them.

Please note: all children who enter the theater for this production must have a ticket and be at least three years old.