Mariachi ECo

A mariachi program for Elkhart County youth

In fall 2023, a new community music program took root at Goshen College: Mariachi ECo, a string ensemble exploring traditional mariachi music. A youth mariachi program for Elkhart County youth had been a longtime dream for Gilberto Perez, Vice President for Student Life, Hispanic Serving Initiatives, and Dean of Students at Goshen College. Perez grew up in south Texas participating in an robust network of youth mariachi programs. This included festivals, competitions, and community performances. As the Latino population has continued to grow in Elkhart County, Perez dreamed of a mariachi program for Elkhart County youth that would help them connect with their heritage and share this rich musical tradition with the broader community. In August 2023, after several years of conversations and brainstorming sessions, Mariachi ECo helped bring this dream to fruition.

Collaboration and partnership

Mariachi ECo draws together students ranging in age from 11 to 22, as well as several adult music educators and community members. Members of the group come from the ECoSistema music and youth development program at the Boys & Girls Club of Goshen, as well as the Youth Honors Orchestra program from the Goshen College Community School of the Arts. Several Goshen College students also perform with the group. This collaboration across age groups helps cultivate mentorship and leadership skills for older musicians, and enriches the musical experience for younger players. Middle and high school musicians have the opportunity to connect with college students and increase their sense of belonging on the Goshen College campus. Meanwhile, college students get the chance to step off campus and bring their musical talents into the broader community. GC senior Sofia Sanchez not only plays with Mariachi ECo, but also serves as a Strings Teaching Artist with ECoSistema, exploring future career pathways while also sharing music from her family’s native Mexico with the community. Meanwhile, Mariachi ECo provides a full-circle opportunity for Gustavo Gonzalez, a sophomore at GC. Gonzalez, a cellist, began learning the guitarron as a seventh grader at Goshen Junior High School. Now, thanks to a generous loan by GJHS, Gonzalez has taken up the guitarron again as a member of Mariachi ECo.

Thanks to several partnerships with community organizations, Mariachi ECo has enjoyed a strong start to its first season. The group debuted on September 1, providing pre-concert music in the lobby of the Goshen College Music Center. The concert? An evening with Flor de Toloache, an award-winning all-female mariachi group based in New York, who kicked off the 2023-2024 Performing Arts Series that night. Mariachi ECo students received comp tickets to attend the concert after their performance thanks to the generosity of the Goshen College Center for Community Engagement.

GC vocalist Irish Cortez sings with Mariachi ECo at the Hispanic Heritage Festival on Sept. 16.

On September 16 Mariachi ECo performed at the third annual Hispanic Heritage Festival in downtown Goshen. The invitation came from local organization Community Pro Education and other organizers of the festival, including Perez. GC President Rebecca Stoltzfus addressed the crowd, reiterating GC’s commitment to connecting with the Latino community in Elkhart County as part of its designation as a Hispanic Serving Institution, awarded earlier this year.

Mariachi ECo performs at the Goshen Public Library on Oct. 14.

On October 14, Mariachi ECo presented a program at the Goshen Public Library in honor of Hispanic Heritage Month. A highlight was a birthday serenade for the mother of Mariachi ECo violinist Oscar Diaz, who dedicated the traditional Mexican birthday song “Las Mananitas” to his mom before the performance. Refreshments of pan dulce and jugo de jamaica followed the performance.

Mariachi ECo will next perform at the Youth Honors Orchestra fall concert on Tuesday, November 14 at 7:30 pm in Sauder Concert Hall. The concert is free and open to the public, and all are welcome!