UNLV Introduces a Minor in Teaching Mariachi as Demand for Instructors Grows
By Emma Carter
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Intro
The University of Nevada, Las Vegas, has introduced a minor focused on teaching mariachi, responding to the music’s growing popularity among young people and the expanding need for qualified instructors.
Vocabulary
| Word | Part of speech | Meaning | Example |
|---|---|---|---|
| positioning verb | verb | Meaning: placing or presenting something in a particular role or situation | Example: The initiative is positioning the museum as a centre for experimental scholarship. |
| prominent adjective | adjective | Meaning: important, noticeable, or occupying a leading position | Example: The researcher has assumed a prominent role in debates about language policy. |
| substantial adjective | adjective | Meaning: considerable in size, amount, or importance | Example: The proposal attracted substantial support from regional educators. |
| appointed adjective | adjective | Meaning: officially selected for a position or responsibility | Example: The newly appointed chair immediately began consulting faculty members. |
| specialization noun | noun | Meaning: a particular area of study or expertise | Example: Her specialization in medieval architecture informs the entire research project. |
| heritage noun | noun | Meaning: the traditions, culture, or history inherited from earlier generations | Example: The archive preserves a linguistic heritage that is increasingly vulnerable to neglect. |
| integrated verb | verb | Meaning: combined something with another system or activity so that it functions as a whole | Example: The revised curriculum integrated practical training with theoretical analysis. |
| increasingly adverb | adverb | Meaning: to a progressively greater degree or extent | Example: Public institutions are increasingly expected to demonstrate measurable social value. |
The story
The University of Nevada, Las Vegas, has begun offering a minor in teaching mariachi, positioning the university to help address a shortage of instructors for a musical tradition whose popularity is expanding in schools. The program is designed not merely to teach students how to perform, but also how to guide others in learning the style.
Mariachi classes have become an increasingly prominent option for high school students. Some young musicians who might once have joined a conventional band, orchestra, or choir are now studying mariachi instead. High school ensembles are being formed and led in border states such as Texas and in communities with substantial Latino populations, creating a need for teachers who understand both the music and the work of teaching it.
Stephen Blanco, UNLV’s director of mariachi, said the musical world is particularly active in Las Vegas. He recognized the scale of the opportunity after bringing musicians from a Las Vegas high school ensemble to a music convention in California. The group’s performance prompted a conversation with a newly appointed director of UNLV’s School of Music, who argued that mariachi education needed to be established at the university level.
Blanco now trains students to become instructors. Among them is violinist Axel Rodriguez Olivas, who began studying mariachi with Blanco several years ago, while he was still in high school. Rodriguez Olivas became the first student to declare mariachi teaching as a minor at UNLV.
For him, the program represents more than an additional academic specialization. He has described the pleasure of playing mariachi, but also its role within his family. The music has encouraged him and his Mexican American relatives to discuss mariachi more often, making musical study a bridge between formal education and personal heritage.
By preparing performers to become teachers, UNLV’s program reflects a broader transition: mariachi is not only being preserved as a traditional Mexican style, but is also being integrated into contemporary school music programs. Its growth has created fresh educational possibilities while making the training of future instructors increasingly important.
Warm-up questions
- What factors might lead a school to introduce a less conventional musical programme?
- How can formal education strengthen, rather than detach learners from, cultural identity?
Comprehension questions
- What dual purpose does the UNLV minor serve?
- Why has the demand for mariachi instructors grown?
- What event helped Blanco recognise the opportunity in Las Vegas?
- How did Rodriguez Olivas become connected with Blanco?
- How does the programme connect academic study with family life?
Opinion questions
- Should universities prioritise training teachers in culturally specific art forms? Why or why not?
- Does institutionalising a traditional musical style strengthen its preservation, or risk changing its meaning?
Further discussion
- What qualifications should teachers possess when they teach both a musical tradition and its cultural context?
- How might school music programmes reshape students’ ideas about which traditions belong in formal education?
Writing prompt
- Write a critical response explaining how the UNLV programme addresses both an educational shortage and a cultural need. Assess its wider significance for schools and communities.
