With support from the California Arts Council, Asociacion Cultural de South Bay of Greater Los Angeles will provide additional instructional support to advanced students to prepare them for new and more challenging experiences. We will also initiate dialogue with other communities seeking to establish their own Mariachi Academies.
The Asociación was formed in November 1999 as a volunteer association and incorporated in March 2005 as a California corporation. The Asociacion Cultural Los Angeles’s (ACLA) sole program is the Mariachi Academy. Its mission has been to foster opportunities that allow children and youth to develop a strong personal identity through music. The ACLA understands that self-esteem has a big part in how a child feels about his/herself and also how much they enjoy other things in their lives. The Mariachi Academy works to increase the students’ understanding of who they are as people by teaching them the rich history of one of the most cherished music forms in the world – Mariachi. ACLA offers Mariachi instruction for children ages 5-20. Courses are offered in violin, vihuela, guitar, and trompeta. Separate classes in Mariachi ensemble and voice are also offered. Students participate in numerous performances throughout the Los Angeles region. Performances are an important part of the children’s growth and development as musicians and future leaders.