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Mariachi Los Pumas wins national title at Mariachi Extravaganza in San Antonio
Summary
Mariachi Los Pumas captured first place at the 30th annual Mariachi Extravaganza in San Antonio — the program's first national title after years of competition and two decades of the school program.
Mariachi Los Pumas, a school mariachi ensemble, won first place at the 30th annual Mariachi Extravaganza in San Antonio, Texas, the group announced during a March program marking Music in Our Schools Month and Youth Art Month.
The Extravaganza, described in the program as the largest national mariachi competition for middle- and high-school groups, was the site of the ensemble’s first national championship after 13 years of annual participation and roughly 20 years since the program began.
“I was so shocked. Like, if you saw the video that I recorded, I was saying no way the whole time,” said Student (Speaker 2), a member of Mariachi Los Pumas, describing the moment the group learned it had placed first. Another student (Speaker 3) recalled staying “frozen for, like, a good 5 seconds” after the announcement.
Speaker 4, who identified themself as one of two directors of the program, said the group has competed at the Extravaganza every year the program has held a mariachi ensemble and praised the students’ and families’ long-term commitment. “We’ve been competing at this event, every year that I’ve been here, so for the past 13 years, and this is the first time that we’ve won,” Speaker 4 said, and noted instructors Yasmin Duenas (violins/voices) and Hector Aguilar (harp).
The program said the national title trophy will join other awards the group has won since the ensemble began about 20 years ago. Speakers and presenters emphasized the program’s role in community engagement and student involvement: Speaker 1, an announcer for the event, noted the group regularly performs at community events and that parents and alumni were among those celebrating the victory.
Speakers also highlighted that the result reflected a broad base of effort. “Everybody in the group, we all put our effort, and I see that all of us, we work hard because we all have the same objective,” Student (Speaker 2) said. Speaker 4 framed the win as shared with parents and alumni who supported the program over many years.
The program also announced that another CCSC school placed third at the competition, creating two CCSC schools among the top three finishers, according to Speaker 1.
Mariachi Los Pumas said it will add the national title trophy to the program’s collection and continue performing at community events; no additional competitive plans or dates were specified in the program.
