Celebrating Area Culture
Freeport-McMoRan funding recently helped aspiring mariachis take center stage. In June, a contribution from the company helped high school students from across the southwest take part in a four-day performance conference at Western New Mexico University in Silver City, N.M., which neighbors the Chino and Tyrone operations.
The performance conference, El Son de la Gila, allowed students to hone their craft with top musicians and dance instructors before competing on stage at ¡Fiesta Latina!, a cultural celebration that features traditional Mexican music, dance and more. Mariachi Herencia, the winner of the showcase, then opened for Mariachi Plata de WNMU and Mariachi Estrella de México on the following night.
Over the years, ¡Fiesta Latina! showcased professional mariachi groups. This year was the second to feature the student conference, and the opportunity for the students to take the stage.
In the photos above (clockwise from top): One of the concerts was headlined by Mariachi Plata de WNMU, New Mexico’s only university-level competitive mariachi; a student practices off-stage before playing in front of the judges; the students competed for the opportunity to serve as the opening act the next day; before ¡Fiesta Latina!, the students studied with instructors from across the country (photo courtesy of WNMU); the concert also featured traditional folklórico dancers.