Download Cinco de Mayo With Mariachi Femenil Orgullo Mexicano

Study Guide for
Cinco de Mayo
With Mariachi Femenil Orgullo Mexicano
May 4, 2010
Written by Nydia Algazzali Gonzalez
for Mariachi Femenil Orgullo Mexicano and Youth in Arts
999 Fifth Avenue, Suite 290
San Rafael, CA 94901
www.youthinarts.org
Sponsored by
California Curriculum Standards and Performing Arts Field Trips
California’s Visual and Performing Arts (VAPA) framework for students’ learning
about the arts is divided into five strands. Following are ideas for relating each
strand to a performing arts field trip.
1.0 Artistic Perception
Students perceive and respond to art, using increasingly sophisticated vocabulary
and concepts.
Take time before and after the performance to discuss the experience. Ask children
to re-enact scenes or reproduce movements, tones or rhythms. Use study guide to
review vocabulary or key concepts.
2.0 Creative Expression
Students use various media to express meaning and intent in original works of art.
Attending a performance can inspire children to create their own art. Youth in Arts
can provide instruction in Mexican music and dance and many other art forms in
your classroom. To learn more, call 415-457-4878.
3.0 Historical and Cultural Context
Students analyze the relationship between the arts and diverse cultures of the past
and present.
Use maps, photos and stories to learn about places and people associated with the
art form. Discuss language, costumes, etc. Where was the performance set? How
do you know?
4.0 Aesthetic Valuing
Students critically assess and derive meaning from arts experiences.
Ask students to respond to the performance, challenging them to go beyond words
like “good” or “interesting”. How did sounds, movements or lines of dialogue
create a mood or send a message?
5.0 Connections, Relationships and Applications
Students apply arts learning across subject areas and with respect to their own lives.
Read books related to the performance. Develop projects using the art form (i.e.
puppetry, song) to explore academic concepts. Discuss the arts profession. How do
performers learn their skills?
Background:
What is Mariachi?
Mariachi music is a folk tradition that originates in Central Western Mexico,
spanning the political states of Jalisco, Nayarit, Colima and Michoacan.
“The region of mariachi”; Jauregui, Jesus. El Mariachi. Símbulo Musical de Mexico. pg. 213
In its earliest form, mariachi music was a regional folk genre, practiced only in
rural areas of that region for local fiestas; providing the music for traditional dances
such as sones and jarabes. Mariachi music, dress, repertoire and instrumentation
has grown and changed as its popularity has grown throughout Mexico and the
world.
Today’s modern mariachi groups typically
consist of 6-12 musicians dressed in a variant
of the traje charro, and playing the modern
mariachi instrumentation: violins, trumpets,
vihuela, guitar, guitarrón and sometimes harp.
Mariachi is still the main attraction at many
fiestas, but is also considered an icon of
Mexican culture, performed on stages and at
festivities throughout the world.
Mariachi Chapala in 1960
History
Some scholars believe that the word mariachi comes from the now-extinct Coca
language of the indigenous people of central Jalisco. There have been other
explanations noting the similarity of the French word mariage, but historical
documents show that the word was used prior to the French presence in Mexico.
Since mariachis began as a rural tradition, there is not much documentation to tell
us about the growth of this genre during early times. Scholars agree that its origins
date back to the nineteenth century in, Central Western Mexico, the epicenter
being the State of Jalisco. One of the earliest written references to the musical genre
was found in church documentation in 1852. Many scholars believe that its origins
date back to at least the nineteenth century.
After the Mexican revolution,
mariachis began migrating to the
cities. One of the first urban
mariachis to make permanence
residence in Mexico City was
Mariachi Coculense de Cirilo
Marmolejo. Although Mariachi
Coculense held great popularity in
Mexico City, one of the most
influential urban mariachis is
Mariachi Vargas de Tecalitlán.
Mariachi Coculense de Cirilio Marmolejo with Dr. Luis Rodríguez
Sánchez in Mexico City, 1926; Jauregui, Jesus. El Mariachi.
Símbulo Musical de Mexico. pg 77
Mariachi Vargas de Tecalitlán was
founded by Gaspar Vargas in 1898 in Tecatitlán, Jalisco. The original members
were: Gaspar Vargas (guitarra de golpe), Manuel Mendoza (harp), Refugio
Hernández (violin) and Lino Quintero (violin). By the 1930s their group was
growing in size and moved to Mexico City, when they
were invited to play for President Lázaro Cardenas’
inauguration in 1934.
Mariachi Vargas de Tecalitlán went on to be the group
with most longevity and influence, setting the stage for
all groups that followed, and has since been known as
“El Mejor Mariachi del Mundo” (The Greatest
Mariachi in the World). Once mariachis gained
popularity in Mexico City, the transformation from a
rural folk genre, to a symbol of Mexican culture and
nationalism began.
Mariachi Vargas de Tecatitlan with President Lázaro
Cárdenas; (Miguel Alemán Valdés,1934).
(For more information, see Jonathan Clark’s essay on
Mariachi Vargas de Tecatitlan: http://mariachihistory.com/vargas.htm)
Instrumentation
The instrumentation of the mariachi
ensemble includes both instruments
that are of European origin:
trumpets, violins and guitar; and
those that have European influences,
but distinct features that are native
to Mexico: arpa jaliscience, guitarra
de golpe, vihuela and guitarrón.
The most prominent of the earlier
configurations of the mariachi
ensemble
were: harp, violin and
Mariachi Vargas de Tecatitlan in Tijuana, BC, 1931;
Jauregui, Jesus. El Mariachi. Símbulo Musical de Mexico.
guitarra de golpe; violin, guitarrón
and guitarra de golpe; or violins with
a guitarrón and vihuela. This depended on the specific region and how the
instrumentation had evolved in that area.
After the revolution of 1910, mariachi ensembles were growing in size, and by the
1930’s, were including trumpets, and more violins. Eventually the guitarra de golpe
was replaced with the vihuela and guitar, and since the guitarrón served as a
convenient and portable bass, we began to see the rapid decline of harp in
mariachis.
Arpa Jaliscience (Jalisco Harp) – This folk
harp usually has 35-38 strings (5 or more
octaves). In a modern mariachi ensemble, the
harp is used to play the bass notes and play
the melodies. This harp has the sound holes
on the front side of the body. Since these
harps were designed to be played in one or
two keys, the musician must re-tune the strings
when changing from one key to another.
Jose Sosa, Mariachi Chapala
Guitarra de Golpe – This instrument was the
original chordal instrument used in the first
mariachi ensembles. It is a bit smaller than a
classical Spanish guitar, but has a deeper
body. The tuning pegs are made of wood.
The traditional tuning is DGBEA, although
there are many variations used to tune this
instrument. The guitarra de golpe is
sometimes referred to as a guitarra quinta or
jarana.
Gaspar Vargas, Mariachi Vargas
de Tecatitlan
Ninfa Iglesias, Mariachi
Femenil Orgullo Mexicano
Guitarrón – The guitarrón serves as the
main bass instrument for a modern
mariachi. It is a large guitar-like
instrument with a convex shaped back,
(like the hull of a ship) and 6 strings on a
fretless neck. The tuning for the guitarrón
is ADGCEA. The top three strings are
nylon and the bottom three are metal.
Typically, guitarrón players double the
bass notes at the octave by plucking two
strings at once.
Vihuela – The Mexican vihuela, named after the
Spanish instrument used in the sixteenth
century, is a small, deep-bodied rhythm guitar
built in a similar fashion to the guitarrón, with a
convex shaped back. Its five strings are tuned
like the first five of a guitar: ADGBE. The A,D
and G strings tuned one octave above, similar
to a ukulele.
Juan Marmolejo, Mariachi
Coculense de Cirilo Marmoleja
Guitarra (Guitar) – Modern mariachis use the
classical Spanish guitar. This guitar is used
for harmonic accompaniment in combination
with the vihuela. The guitar has 6 nylon
strings and is tuned EADGBE.
Adela Valdez, Mariachi
Las Generalas
Violín (Violin) – Mariachi musicians use the
traditional European violin. Although it has
ancient origins, the modern-day violin was
perfected in Italy during the 16th century. It
has 4 metal strings with wooden tuning pegs
and tuned in perfect fifths: GDAE. Modern
mariachis will typically have 3 to 6 violins in
the ensemble.
Laura Sobrino,
Marachi Mujer 2000
Trompeta (Trompet) – Mariachi musicians
use the European trumpet. The trumpet
has the highest register in the brass family.
Modern mariachis will typically have one
or two trumpets in the ensemble.
Lucia Perez, Mariachi
Femenil Orgullo
Mexicano
Repertoire
Mariachis were commonly associated with the rural fiesta or fandango (dance
party), and with the tarima (wooden platform) upon which couples would dance
sones and jarabes, the two most important genres of the early mariachi music. The
traditional sones combine elements of folk music from Spain, Africa and
Indigenous American tribes. Examples of these sones antiguos (early sones) of
mariachi sones are El Limoncito, El Súchil, La Chachalaca and El Tecolote.
As the mariachi repertoire has expanded and become more representative of
Mexico as a nation, other regional sones are now part of the repertoire. Examples
of this are: “La Malagueña”, a son huasteco from the eastern coast of Mexico,
known for its falsettos and Arab and Spanish influenced melodies; and “La Bamba”,
a son jarocho from Veracruz, known for its syncopated African rhythms, and a
combining of Spanish, African, Arab and Indigenous traditions.
The modern mariachi repertoire has expanded from just sones, to a variety of
genres from all over Mexico and Latin America including:
Cancion Ranchera – (2/4 or 3/4 meter) Songs that are usually about love, courting
or nature.
Corrido – (2/4 or 3/4 meter) These songs usually tell a story about a person or
place, and were used as a tool for oral history and storytelling.
Polka - (2/4 meter) Influence of the European polkas brought to the northern
regions of Mexico.
Pasodoble – (2/4 meter) Directly interpreted from the Spanish music in La Fiesta de
los Toros (The Party of the Bulls).
Vals – (3/4 meter) Influenced by the European Waltz, these are usually played for
formal dance occasions.
Bolero – (4/4 meter) A genre brought from Cuba, having roots in the contradanzas
(contredanse) of 18th century England.
Danzón – (4/4 meter) A result of the criollo (people of Spanish descent living in the
Americas) music of Cuba and the coastal region of Veracruz.
Cumbia – (4/4 meter) Popular dance music that originated in South America
(specifically Colombia) with influence from African rhythms.
Clothing
Prior to the Mexican Revolution of 1910, mariachis had no uniform and made no
attempt to dress alike. Some mariachis dressed in calzon de manta (homespun
white cotton pants and shirts) and huaraches (leather sandals) and others wore the
typical attire from their region.
After the Mexican Revolution, mariachis were spreading beyond the rural settings
and were able to afford nicer attire. By the 1930s the traje charro emerged at the
preferred dress of mariachi musicians. This was the classic outfit the Jalisco
horsemen or charro, consisting of a waist-length jacket and tightly fitted wool pants
which open slightly at the ankle to fit over a short riding boot. The fancy version of
this outfit, worn by modern mariachis, is decorated with embroidery, intricately cut
leather designs, or silver buttons in a variety of shapes. This was the style of the
wealthy hacienda owners of that time, and the upper class horsemen. In modern
mariachis where women participate as musicians, they typically wear a skirt
version of the traje charro.
Women in Mariachi
Women have played an important part in the advancement and
popularity of mariachi music. During the “Golden Era” of
Mexican cinema (1935-1959), many Mexican movie had a
mariachi ensemble playing music, and commonly, a leading
lady singing with them. Some of the lead women singers of this
time were Lucha Reyes (“La Reina de la Cancion Ranchera”),
followed in later years by Lucha Villa ("La Grandota de
Chihuahua") and Lola Beltrán (“La Grande”).
Lucha Villa
During the 1950s, women were not only
singing with mariachis, but also playing
instruments. All-female mariachi ensembles
began to surface in Mexico: Mariachi Las
Coronelas, Mariachi Las Adelitas and the
Mariachi Estrellas de México. These women
battled incredible resistance and disapproval
from their families and male peers.
In the United States, women mariachis
started out by joining traditionally all-male
groups. In the U.S., the earliest known
Mariachi Las Generalas, 1976
female mariachi musician was documented
to have been performing as early as of 1971. The first all-female mariachi groups
formed in the U.S. in the late 1970s: Mariachi Las Generalas in Los Angeles,
California and Mariachi Estrellas de Topeka in Topeka, Kansas. Since then, there
have been many more women mariachis and all-female groups thanks to advocates
and leaders such as Laura Sobrino, Musical Director of mariachis Mujer 2000.
Mariachi Femenil Orgullo Mexicano
As one of the first and only current female
mariachi in the San Francisco Bay Area,
Mariachi Femenil Orgullo Mexicano is
comprised of women of varying ages,
ethnicities and professions, ranging from
high school students to teachers. We have
a strong focus on education and support
each other in our musical and academic
educational endeavors. As a group, we are
committed to making a difference in our
communities and providing a supportive
Mariachi Femenil Orgullo Mexicano, 2010
venue for young women to express
themselves artistically, enhance self-esteem and develop leadership skills. For more
information, contact Lilia Chavez at 650-219-5874 or visit myspace.com/mfom1
Agradecimientos (Special Thanks)
Special thanks to Jonathan Clark, who has served as a mentor and resource for the
shaping of this study guide. Jonathan Clark has dedicated much of his life to
researching the history and evolution of mariachi music. He founded the San José
State University Mariachi workshop in 1991, which he directed for eight years, and
continues to lecture and write about mariachi music and history. Thank you for
taking the time to disseminate the mariachi tradition to students around the world.
I would also like to thank William Faulkner, a mentor, teacher and expert on the
Jalisco Harp.
Sources and Resources:
William Faulkner
http://www.jaliscoharp.com
Jonathan Clark
http://mariachihistory.com/
The History of Women in Mariachi Music
http://www.mariachi4u.com/hwm/
Mujeres en el Mariachi
http://www.mujeresenelmariachi.com/
Mariachi Education Resources
http://www.mariachieducationresources.com/
Jauregui, Jesus. El Mariachi. Símbulo Musical de Mexico. Santilla Ediciones
Generales, S.A. de C.V. 2007
Classroom Activities
In order to facilitate these activities, you will need to have some mariachi
recordings available for students to listen to. You could use any recordings that
you already have, which include a variety of traditional songs. For those who do
not already have such a collection, we recommend this album*:
Mariachi Vargas de Tecalitlan: Serie 20 Exitos
The activities include suggested songs from this recording, although you can find
the same songs from many sources and recordings.
*There are many recordings available, and this just happens to be one that contains a nice variety of tempos
and genres.
Learning about Beat
Set-up:
Have students form a circle and have at least one mariachi song available to play
during the activity.
Materials:
CD Player, CD: Mariachi Vargas de Tecalitlan: Serie 20 Exitos (or a similar
collection of songs)
Procedure:
• Have students put their hand on their heart and feel their heartbeat. Discuss the
importance of a pulse.
o Why is your pulse important?
o What happens if your heartbeat (or pulse) stops?
• Discuss how the “pulse” (or beat) is what gives you life. The beat also gives life
to the music.
• Discuss the difference between the pulse and the rhythm:
o Pulse: rhythmical beating, vibrating, or sounding whose value is
normally constant.
o Rhythm: A strong, regular repeated pattern of movement or sound.
o An easy way to describe how they work together: The pulse (downbeat)
remains constant and stable while the rhythm kind of dances around it.
The rhythm may change, while the pulse stays the same.
o In a mariachi, the guitarrón usually plays the downbeat with the bass
line.
• Play a compilation CD of mariachi music, mixing different rhythms, like son (La
Negra), ranchera (Cielito Lindo), polka (Jesusita en Chihuahua), etc. Try to vary
the tempo and beat patterns. Have students find the pulse (or downbeat) of
each piece and clap to it.
Dancing to the Rhythm
Set-up:
Have students form a circle and have a compilation recording of mariachi
music available to play during the activity. This should be done after students
have successfully participated in “Learning about Beat”.
Materials:
CD Player, CD: Mariachi Vargas de Tecalitlan: Serie 20 Exitos (or a similar
collection of songs).
Procedure:
• Play a son jaliscience (La Culebra) Have students find the pulse of the music
playing. Once they have found the pulse, experiment with rhythms that go with
the music, by clapping them.
• Once students have explored the rhythm with their hands, have each student
take a turn creating a body movement that goes with the beat that is playing.
The other students mimic the movement.
• To directly relate this exercise to Mexican Folk Dance that accompanies
mariachi son, have students transfer the rhythms to their feet and practice foot
tapping movements called zapateado. Some good sones for dancing are: La
Negra, El Jarabe Tapatío, El Carretero, and La Bamba. Students can do this in
groups or as individuals and share it with the class. This exercise helps the
students really understand the concept of beat and rhythm.
Listening and Reflection
Set-up:
Students can sit at their desks with paper and pencils. Have at least one
mariachi song available to play during the activity.
Materials:
CD Player, CD: Mariachi Vargas de Tecalitlan: Serie 20 Exitos (or a similar
collection of songs), paper, pencils, Mariachi Femenil Orgullo Mexicano Study
Guide, pictures of modern mariachi groups and instruments for students to review.
Procedure:
• Review the mariachi instrumentation with your students, using the study guide
section “Instrumentation”.
• Once they are familiar with the instrumentation, have students close their eyes
with their heads on their desks as they listen to a son jaliscience (such as La
Negra).
• After students have had an opportunity to listen once, play it again, this time
asking them to raise their hands every time they hear the trumpet, violins or
harp (guitarron, guitar, and vihuela are usually constant throughout the song).
• Students can then create drawings of the instruments.
• If working with upper grades, they can write about how each part of the music
makes them feel. If working with lower grades, students can create a drawing
to accompany each instrument they hear.
Imaginary Mariachi
Set-up:
Have students work in groups of 4 to 6 people. Provide pictures of various
mariachis from different periods and with different attire available so that
students may reference them. This can be done either via a slideshow or a
collection of photos that they can sort through in their groups.
Materials:
Mariachi Femenil Orgullo Mexicano Study Guide, pictures of modern mariachi
groups and instruments for students to review, papers, pencils.
Procedure:
• Each group should imagine that they are a mariachi group. Together they must
decide:
• a name for their mariachi (in English or Spanish)
• what instrument each of them plays
• where their group is from
• what their traje charro (mariachi uniform) looks like
• what event they are hear to perform for (real or imaginary)
Once students have decided, hey can also design their group uniforms and
create drawings of their groups with instruments and all!
• After completing the “Reporting Live From…” activity, someone from another
group may act as a reporter, asking the imaginary mariachi questions, so that
the whole class can learn about their group.
Reporting Live From…
Set-up:
Students can participate in this activity as a large group from their desks. Students
should have access to pictures of different mariachi groups
Materials:
Papers, pencils.
Procedure:
• Ask students to imagine that they were reporters for the local news channel
for cultural events.
• What questions would they ask a mariachi that has come to their town for
an event.
• Compile a list of these questions and have students act as news reporters so
that they may interview one of the mariachi musicians after the show.
Make an Instrument
Set-up:
Choose one of the instruments for the whole class to create, or split the class up
into groups so that they may play together as an ensemble composed of different
instruments.
Procedure:
• Straw Horns (Materials: straws, scissors)
o Cut the ends of straws in a "V" shape
o Press down on the ends of the straws, flattening them
o Blow into the straws to produce interesting sounds!
o Experiment with the length of straws. Discuss relationship between
length and pitch.
o Discuss how length of air columns affect sound in things like
recorders, flutes, etc.
• Rubber Band Guitars (Materials: 1 sturdy box with lid per student, 6 rubber
bands of different thickness and size per student, 2 pencils per student,
scissors)
o Cut a circle in the lid of the box for the sound hole
o Stretch rubber bands, or thin elastic bands around the box, stretching
over the sound hole
o Tuck a pencil under the bands on each side of the sound hole, lifting
the bands up to avoid buzzing.
o Discuss the effect of different lengths of elastic, different thickness,
and different tensions and how it affects pitch.
o Explain similarities with guitars and violins and other string
instruments.
• Bottle Flutes (Materials: 1 recycled bottle per student, water)
o Students place their bottles side by side on a surface
o Start by filling the first bottle half way with water
o Add water to each bottle, making sure every one has a little more
than the bottle before it
o When blowing across the top of the bottle, each one should produce
a different frequency.
o Discuss the effect of depth of water and how it affects the pitch
o Students can adjust the levels of the water to “tune” their instruments
and play a collaborative piece!
Mariachi Worksheet
Circle the area in which mariachi music started in it’s earliest form:
Name 5 of the instruments used in Mariachi music.
1.
4.
2.
5.
3.
Label as many instruments as you can.
1.__________ 2._________ 3.________ 4._________ 5._________ 6.______________