UNLV’s new mariachi program to help fill gaps in music education

there are only a handful of higher education Mariachi programs across the country and come fall we're set to get one we're right here in the valley Fox Ming McBride joins us live outside UNLV with why this program is filling a much needed Gap in music education well Guys Las Vegas high school's current Mariachi director Steven Blanco says at any given time there are CCSD schools that would like to offer a mariachi program who can't because there just aren't enough qualified teachers now Blanco i

s going to be heading the new program here in the fall he says over the next couple of months All Eyes in Mari education are going to be here on UNLV excitement fills the room as Las Vegas high school students Pile in to their 12:00 p.m. Mariachi class it's definitely something like I always look forward to every day you know picking up my instrument [Music] playing the UNLV bounds student says his dream is to teach mariachi music to others and luckily for him he'll now be able to further his Ma

riachi education without having to leave the valley I personally have a love for music that I feel like nobody can take away from me so you know I feel like I want to help other students uh reach that same same level of love for music there are no Mani courses offered in Nevada right now there's an ensemble um there's been ensembles but there are no classes to prepare students to go further that all changes this fall the brand new UNLV Mariachi program will start out with three classes but Blanc

o hopes to eventually offer it as a minor and it seems he has the support of unlv's School of Music director I'm excited to see this program grow and expand and even become a minor so that we can you know produce more music educators that are able to not just teach music education but also teach Mar music who says it's important students see their cultures represented in music my parents always they always talk to me about like where how life was in Mexico where they came from you know and I fee

l like it's my the cultural background and music put into one so it it's like The Best of Both [Music] Worlds Rodriguez Rodriguez olivz says he's excited to play new music with new people during the fall semester more information about the program will be coming out in the next few months details on where you can find it at Fox vegas.com live at UNLV Molly McBride Fox 5 news local Las Vegas