The Mariachi Extravaganza has always had a goal to provide young mariachi students with educational opportunities that can help them become better musicians and grow their appreciation for the mariachi music genre. We have done this through workshops, summer camps, and more recently, video tutorials available to everyone with access to the internet.
During the 28th Annual Mariachi Extravaganza, we had the opportunity to collaborate with some of the members of Mariachi Nuevo Tecalitlán to produce new educational video content for mariachi musicians. These videos feature vocalist and guitarist Edwin Origel Mendez and vihuela player Roberto Hernández who through a series of lessons will give you insight on vocal interpretation and performance and fundamentals of mariachi guitar and vihuela.
Curriculum Covered
Interpretation and Lyric Analysis
Warming up and Developing Vibrato
Stage Presence, Attire, and Engaging the Audience
Chord Progressions and Tuning (Guitar)
About Edwin Origel
Considered to have one of the best voices of today’s mariachi genre, Edwin’s talents were
nurtured at an early age through the guidance of his father – Don Trino Origel
Vargas – who gave him his first guitar lessons and opened his path into the world of music. Edwin began his formal musical studies at the Sindicato de Trabajadores del Estado de Jalisco, where he learned solfege, vocalization and execution. This foundation of skills helped him to later inscribe into the Instituto Cultural Cabañas where he built upon his skills by studying musical meter, rhythm and harmony. Edwin’s mariachi career began in 1996 when he joined Mariachi Cuauhtémoc where he stayed for two years before becoming a member of Mariachi Nuevo Tecalitlán in 1998 as a vocal soloist, first voice in coros and guitarist. Today, Edwin enjoys a successful career as a mariachi soloist and is currently touring Mexico and the USA.
About Roberto Hernandez
Roberto is the son of outstanding Mariachi Los Tecolotes musician Juan Hernández and through his
familial connections to music, started learning to play the vihuela at a young age. He began his musical career in 1988 working in Guadalajara’s famed Plaza de los Mariachis. It was here that his musical abilities were noticed by Don Alberto Ibarra who later invited Roberto to form a part of Mariachi Los Becerritos. In 1991 he decided to make a change and joined Mariachi Cuauhtémoc de Don Trino Origel
Vargas (Edwin’s Father) and later, in 1993, Mariachi Nuevo Instrumental. By 1996 he had become a
member of Mariachi Mexicanísimo and had the opportunity to participate in the “Conciertos de Mariachi” tour under the patronage of Tequila Herradura. During this time, Roberto spent nine years under the wing of famed mariachi vihuelist Victor “El Pato” Cardenas, who is considered by many to be the godfather of the mariachi vihuela. With these musical lessons, Roberto was able to perfect his
musical technique and execution on his instrument and in 2001 earned a recommendation to join Mariachi Nuevo Tecalitlán where he has remained to this day.
The mariachi tutorials are made possible with support from sponsors of the Mariachi Extravaganza. Special thanks to KHS America Academic Alliance and H-E-B.
Make plans to attend the 29th Annual Mariachi Extravaganza November 30 – December 2, 2023. Tickets are on sale now for the Mariachi Extravaganza concert on Saturday, December 2 at ticketmaster.com. Competition registration opens on September 1 at mariachimusic.com. Hotel reservations can be made at the Grand Hyatt or the Emily Morgan hotels.
