The Mariachi Extravaganza has officially announced the 5 finalists who will be competing in its Original Songwriting Competition this December. Finalists were announced via Facebook live in a drawing that also determined the order of the live competition.
2023 Finalists
- Alex Alegria – Vancouver, BC – “Ya No Puedo Más”
- Jacob Contador – Edinburg, TX – “Tu Perdon”
- Mateo Real – Long Beach, CA – “Pajarito Coliman”
- Alex Treviño – McAllen, TX – “No Vuelvo Nunca”
- Carolina Imperial – Fort Worth, TX – “Jamás Dejaste Mi Lado”
The Original Songwriting Competition of the Mariachi Extravaganza will take place on December 1st at the Lila Cockrell Theatre in San Antonio, Texas. It is the only mariachi music songwriting competition of its kind in the nation and it was introduced to the festival to encourage young mariachi students to engage in the art of songwriting and arranging. Originally, the competition took place online where competitors submitted their compositions and the top songwriter chosen was honored during the festival.
In 2021, the competition took the live stage for the first time and has since been one of the main events of the Mariachi Extravaganza. Competitors must first audition by submitting an MP3 track of their work. All submissions are then reviewed by qualified judges who select the finalists that will compete in the live event. During the live competition, finalists perform their songs in front of members of Mariachi Nuevo Tecalitlán, who then pick and award the top performances.
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. All events will be taking place walking distance from the Lila Cockrell Theatre located 200 E Market St, San Antonio, TX. Hotel reservations can be made at the Grand Hyatt San Antonio Riverwalk or the Emily Morgan San Antonio hotels at a discounted rate for Mariachi Extravaganza attendees.
