MARIACHI VIOLIN CLASS: Fridays: 5:30 PM - 7:00 PM

This mariachi class is led by Mexican violinist and mariachi player, Rafael Vázquez Guevara, and caters to students with intermediate to advanced musical experience in violin. This mariachi violin class delves into the mastery of the distinctive mariachi styles (sones, huapangos, rancheras, polkas, and more), exploration of intricate violin techniques (vibrato, bowings, dynamics, and expression), cultivation of a rich and nuanced musicality that characterizes mariachi performance, cultivation of enthusiasm and dedication toward mariachi playing, and learning standard and common mariachi repertoire.

Violinist Rafael Vázquez Guevara was born and raised in Santa Catarina, Guanajuato, Mexico where he discovered his passion for the violin when he was eleven years old. Throughout his high school years, Vázquez Guevera’s talent shined as he performed with various orchestras and ensembles, including the Youth Music Monterey Honors Orchestra, Youth Music Monterey Chamber Players, Hartnell College Orchestra, Monterey Peninsula College Orchestra, Central Coast Section Honors Orchestra, Mahler at Pacific, and the prestigious California All-State Honors String Orchestra. Vázquez Guevera pursued his Bachelor of Music degree with an emphasis in Violin Performance at the University of California, Santa Barbara where he studied under the mentorship of violinist Ertan Torgul. While at UCSB, he participated in master classes led by global musicians including the Miller-Porfiris Duo, Caroline Shawn, Ida Kavafian, and The Danish String Quartet. He is currently studying under the tutelage of Nina Bodnar, retired concertmaster of the St. Louis Symphony and the Santa Barbara Symphony.