Michelle Madrid, Las Vegas High School’s Joya Mariachi vocalist and violinist, and her sister Rachelle Madrid, vocalist and harp player, pose for a photo on campus Monday, Jan. 18, 2021. The local mariachi has been selected to play for President-elect Biden’s inauguration in a special virtual parade.
Wednesday, Jan. 20, 2021 | 2 a.m.
Mariachi students from Las Vegas High School’s Mariachi Joya will perform in Joe Biden’s virtual presidential inauguration parade today.
The group was invited by the Presidential Inauguration Committee to play three songs, which will be included in a mashup of other performances from around the country to celebrate the swearing in of the 46th president.
Mariachi Joya previously performed for Biden when he was campaigning here last year. Mariachi Joya has more than 200 members, but only 14 were picked to be part of the inauguration festivities. The performance will be pre-recorded.
Needless to say, the teens are honored to be part of the historic event.
“It’s amazing, honestly, I have no words because it’s not like every mariachi group gets to experience this, and the fact that we do is just a blessing,” said Michelle Madrid, 18, who plays the violin in Mariachi Joya. Her twin sister, Rachelle, plays the harp.
Mariachi music, a symbol of Mexican culture, branched out from weddings and fiestas in rural Mexico gaining international prominence in the 1930s. Mariachi music is now played for big audiences, including presidential inaugurations. Palmview High School Mariachi and Folkloric Group from Mission, Texas, performed at Barack Obama’s inaugural parade in 2012. The genre has also been incorporated into many academic programs in the Southwestern United States.
It’s important that mariachi students understand the history and culture of the music they are performing, said Stephen Blanco, director of the mariachi program at Las Vegas High. Michelle and Rachelle Madrid spoke passionately about what mariachi music meant to them.
“It’s so diverse and it’s not just music, it’s dancing and it’s the clothing and it’s just the way it appears to everyone is just so unique and it’s really beautiful,” Michelle Madrid said in an excited rush.
“La Tierra del Mariachi” by Jose Hernandez, founder of Mariachi Sol de Mexico, was one of the songs Mariachi Joya played in their pre-recorded performance.
When asked what the song meant, Michelle Madrid said, “This is our ground, this is our culture, and this is what I’m going to represent.”
