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Musical Director Jesús “Chuy” Guzmán

On the evening of 16^th May, 2024, at Waseda University’s Ono Auditorium, the vibrant sounds of mariachi permeated the air filling the seats with close to 200 attendees. Hosted by the Intercultural Communication Center (ICC), this one-of-a-kind performance was part of a tour supported by The UCLA Herb Alpert School of Music and its Center for Latino Arts, with the goal of promoting and celebrating cultural exchange and musical tradition.

Dancers with Los Camperos

Mariachi de Uclatlán, comprised of students from The UCLA’s Herb Alpert School of Music, opened the show with two-time Grammy Award winning Mariachi Los Camperos from Los Angeles commanding the stage thereafter. Renowned musical director Jesús “Chuy” Guzmán advises Mariachi de Uclatlán, while simultaneously directing and performing with Los Camperos. Los Camperos are widely believed to be the finest mariachi ensemble in the world, their numerous accolades and rich history of promoting Mexican culture worldwide are a testament to that.

The evening began with a warm welcome by Professor Yusuke Goto, a Spanish professor at Waseda University. His brief introduction set the stage for what was to come, as he spoke of the significance of the event and the role of intercultural communication in fostering understanding and appreciation of diverse cultures.

Professor Yusuke Goto

Professor Steven Loza then took the podium, sharing his enthusiasm for mariachi music and its global importance. As an expert in ethnomusicology at The UCLA Herb Alpert School ofMusic and Director of the UCLA Center for Latino Arts, Professor Loza emphasized the power of music to bring people together, transcending race and cultural barriers. “Mariachi is the symbol of Mexico,” he remarked, “but also a symbol for the world. And we want to bring Mariachi and Mexico to everyone”. He also described “mestizaje,” or the mixing of cultures in Spanish, for the audience and it certainly turned into a central theme of the evening.

Professor Steven Loza

Professor Loza ended his speech by introducing the evening’s star, Guzmán, who has been instrumental in bringing the magic of mariachi to audiences worldwide. The performance began with Mariachi de Uclatlán, who were dressed in a traditional mariachi uniform in their school colours. The student ensemble delivered a stunning set of six songs accompanied by two skilled dancers. The energy was electric, with the audience erupting into applause frequently, inspired by the lively rhythms and melodies the talented and diverse Uclatlán had to offer.

Mariachi Los Camperos followed and performed an impressive set of eight songs. Their repertoire included tracks from the beloved children’s movie “Coco,” much to the delight of the audience. The musicians frequently interacted with the crowd, and the violinists even walked amongst the audience while performing a song. The group’s masterful musicianship and engaging stage presence kept the hall vibrant, drawing enthusiastic applause and cheers throughout the evening.

The Trumpeters of Los Camperos

The performance ended with a powerful joint performance by Los Camperos and Uclatlán. Together they performed the Japanese folk song ‘Sakura’. This cross-cultural collaboration was a beautiful testament to the evening’s theme of cultural exchange, and surely left a lasting impression on those present.

Carlos Oliva, the student director of Mariachi de Uclatlán, expressed his joy at being part of such a unique experience. “I’m really happy to be here!” he shared, “I feel good about exchanging culture and sharing Mariachi music with the people of Japan.”

As the night drew to a close, the smiles on the faces of the attendees were clear indicators of the event’s success. The sounds of the mariachi as they used their violins to mimic the chugging of a train, combined with the joyful expressions of the performers as they passionately shared their music, created a vivid and unforgettable experience that will linger in our memories.

In the words of Professor Loza, “We better start learning about each other!” and through events like these, we take meaningful steps towards that goal using music as a bridge between cultures.

Mariachi de Uclatlán

*This article was written by the following Student Contributor:
Yash Joshi
School of Creative Science and Engineering