LEXINGTON, Ky. (LEX 18) — When it comes to high school musicians, you might picture a marching band on a football field, or an orchestra or choir in an auditorium. At Bryan Station High School, there’s a unique type of band tuning up for their first performance of the school year.
“I moved to Kentucky seven years ago,” said Director of Mariachi Escudo Genaro Rascon, who was a mariachi instructor at Berea College. “It’s my understanding that the superintendent (Demetrus) Liggins is from Texas where there’s lots of mariachi instruction, and he’s been pushing for there to be a mariachi program in Fayette County for a long time, but they’ve been unable to find someone to teach it.”
Once Rascon was involved, students were asked about their potential interest.
“I was like, that sounds fun,” said Juan Betancourt, a trumpet player. “I joined, and now I think I’m going to do it all four years.”
Janely Hernandez, a violin player, added, “there was always an interest in it, mostly between the guys, but when the school brought it in, I guess it made people want to do it more.”
“Having mariachi in public school in Kentucky is very important to me, specifically on my mission to do mariachi education in this part of the country,” said Rascon.
At Bryan Station High School, more than 1,000 students speak multiple languages. The school proved to be the perfect environment to begin the mariachi program.
“We practiced with basic, simple songs,” said Hernandez, “then we kind of got into more simple mariachi songs, songs like Arboles de la Barranca, and then we just progressed from there.”
“I think it’s really important that students get to see a culture that they connect with,” assistant director of Mariachi Escudo Nathan Bailey said. “That helps them connect with the music even a little bit more.”
In its second year, the band has grown. The students now have uniforms as well, known as Trajes de Charros. For a moment, band class turned into history class as Rascon gave a presentation about the origins of the Trajes.
“It is not a costume. It is not an outfit or whatever. It is a suit. This is the type of suit that Mexican nobility used to wear,” he said in part of his presentation.
“We didn’t have them last year and we all really wanted to put it on,” Hernandez said. “Being able to actually be in the Trajes, I guess, it’s like, I guess we all kind of realize, wow, we’re actually mariachi now.”
This weekend, the students in the band have their first performance, showcasing their passion for music and culture.
“Every single time we go out on the stage and perform somewhere here in Kentucky, somebody out there is seeing mariachi for the first time,” Rascon said while teaching. “Like it or not, we are now the representatives of this culture in Kentucky.”
“I love being able to show and give an insight of what we usually do and how we celebrate things, rather than the iconic things, food, sombrero and stuff, but being able to share the music that we do,” said Hernandez.
The Bryan Station High School mariachi band will perform at the Viva Mexico Festival in Masterson Station Park this Sunday, Sept. 15, at 7 p.m.
