Sinfonia Mexicana Mariachi Youth Academy's 10th anniversary concert celebration thrilled the audience at Colton High School's Whitmer Auditorium on Sunday, April 28. The performance featured the Youth Academy Students, Grammy winners Mariachi Divas de Cindy Shea and Ballet Folklorico Flores del Desierto. "I saw friends and acquaintances whom I hadn't seen in years - it was like a family reunion," according to Robert Carrasco, a long-time Colton resident.
Mariachi Divas celebrated their 20th year by performing at the Whitmer Auditorium at Colton High School on the 28th of April. The all-woman group focuses on the representation of femininity in a male-dominated music scene where they can celebrate and share vulnerability. The Academy students entertained and impressed the audience with their exceptional music performance - the result of their dedication and hard work to learning difficult musical pieces. The Divas and the Academy students performed a variety of songs, both traditional and new interpretations - there was something for all ages. The Ballet Folklorico Flores del Desierto, a dance troupe, delighted the audience with their children's performance.
Cindy Shea began to play the trumpet at a young age and it ultimately fueled and inspired her to create a group that celebrates the wonderful aspects of being a woman. The Divas were accompanied by the Sinfonia Mexicana Mariachi Youth Academy who were celebrating their 10th anniversary alongside performances of Ballet Folklorico. The Mariachi Youth Academy has been inspiring students with music education where they are taught to read music, play instruments and study the culture of mariachi music. The program is focused not only on the practices of music but rather on the importance of discipline, teamwork and the determination to follow one’s dreams.
"The Academy is extremely grateful to the concertgoers, our dedicated volunteers and donors, and all the local businesses that allowed flyers to be displayed. The support of the entire community helped to make this concert a great success. We look forward to returning to Colton very soon," stated Tony Bocanegra, Executive Director of Sinfonia Mexicana.
The commitment the Mexican Mariachi Youth Academy has to the students of the program is showcased in the performances of well-known Mariachi music and well-known Spanish music. The songs that were performed throughout the showcase include artists such as Vicente Fernandez and Selena Quintanilla as well as original compositions by the Mariachi Divas. The Grammy-nominated Mariachi Band aided and helped with the musical arrangements of all the performances in the showcase. The rhythmic and dance-infused cumbias filled the entire auditorium celebrating the importance of “Raza” and the closeness of the Latinx community. The audience cheered at the end of each musical piece especially if there was a familiarity to the songs that were being played.
The showcase ultimately celebrated the different cultures and traditions in different Latinx communities specifically that of music and dance. The representation of mariachi music is restricted to not only the Mexican culture but has become a universal tradition for dance and culture. Elena Carrasco beamed with pride after the performance when she spoke of the Divas and the Academy, "The alumni who played in the finale are a testament to the fact that the Youth Academy's music education program is transformative and provides an opportunity for students to excel in music and academics. The Sinfonia Mexicana Board of Directors and the Academy are very proud of the Alumni and the current Academy students and their accomplishments."