Mariachi Vargas guitar player and vocalist Arturo Vargas and violinist/vocalist Andres Gonzalez arrive in San Antonio today for the 15th Annual Mariachi Vargas Extravaganza. The two members of Mariachi Vargas will spend the next 3 days visiting students from the San Antonio Independent School District (SAISD). The SAISD has an estimated 3,400 students from 17 schools participating in mariachi music programs making it the number one school district in Texas with the largest number of students enrolled in mariachi music programs.
The school visits are a collaborative effort between the SAISD Fine Arts Department and MPR, producers of the 15th Annual Mariachi Vargas Extravaganza. Arturo and Andres will present traditional mariachi styles to students and share in the cultural traditions of Mexico with students at Irving, Whittier, Jefferson, Stephen F. Austin, Twain, Brackenridge, Edison, Fox Tech, Poe and Highlands.
On Wednesday, November 18 Arturo and Andres will give a free presentation at the Instituto Cultural de Mexico at 7:00 p.m. as part of the 8-day mariachi music festival. The 15th Annual Mariachi Vargas Extravaganza is sponsored in part by Goya, Budweiser, Southwest Airlines, Valero and the St. Anthony Hotel.
