Ethnomusicology

Mariachi Ensembles

The mariachi bands in the ASU Herberger College School of Music began with Mariachi Diablos del Sol in 1985. A second intermediate band, Mariachi ASU, was formed in Fall 1995. The purpose of the ensembles, as with all of the Ethnomusicology ensembles, is to teach the style and performance practices of the tradition in a typical fashion. Consequently, as a member of the two ensembles, you use the traditional instrumentation: violines, trompetas, arpa, vihuela, guitarra de golpe and guitarron.

Flautas are also used since they are sometimes found in concert settings and recordings. Traditional mariachi genres including the son, huapango, corrido, ranchera and polka, and modern genres, including cumbia, internacional and classico, are performed with some pieces learned by ear and others using scores.

The mariachi ensembles are under the direction of J. Richard Haefer.