The KHS America Alianza Académica Virtual Festival celebrates and supports schools across the United States as they showcase their Latin music ensembles. This free, virtual event provides schools with expert feedback from renowned educators and rewards top-performing groups with high-quality instruments. By eliminating travel expenses and simplifying the competition process, the festival empowers schools to focus on delivering an exceptional experience for their students without the hassle or added costs.

Eligibility: The Alianza Académica Virtual Festival is open to all K-12 Public and Private Schools in the United States.

Ways to Enter: There will be 3 Categories in which to enter:

• Middle School Mariachi (open to students up to grade 8)
• High School Mariachi (open to students grades 9-12)
• Conjunto/Regional Mexican/Open (open to students up to grade 12)

Submission Period: March 10, 2025 – April 15, 2025

Submission Criteria: Ensembles are required to submit a video performance from the 2024-2025 Academic Year, no longer than 5 minutes, in the style of their selected category, in either .mp4 or .mov format. There is no limit on the number of songs performed, provided the total duration does not exceed 5 minutes. Judging will be conducted using a rubric that assesses musical technique, musicality, ensemble performance, and presentation.

*Please note: only one submission is allowed per performing group. A school may enter more than once if the school has more than one performing ensemble. Schools may enter the same category more than once if students are not duplicated between ensembles.

Prizes: Instrument and accessory prizes packages will be offered to the top three ensembles in each category. See our official rules to view the complete list of prizes.