A LareDOS entrevista:
the instructional talent behind TAMIU's Mariachi Internacional

On the heels of Texas A&M International University’s Mariachi Internacional taking first place in the university category of competition at the Ford Lincoln Mercury Mariachi Extravaganza in San Antonio, LareDOS publisher María Eugenia Guerra caught up with director Dr. Rachel Cruz for a look at the instructional force behind the talented and acclaimed Mariachi band.
Dr. Cruz, a native of Seguin, is a graduate of the University of Notre Dame in Indiana with a Bachelor of Arts in Music/Classical Vocal Performance. She earned a Master of Music and Doctor of Musical Arts, both in Applied Voice, at the University of Texas at Austin. She holds teaching certifications in Secondary Music and in English as A Second Language. She has taught middle school in Austin and was choir director of a program that averaged about 350 students. She was the director of Austin's only middle school Mariachi band.

LareDOS: How long have you played music in general and mariachi specifically?
Dr. Rachel Cruz: My mother says that I was singing before I spoke. So I have known that I wanted to pursue a career in music since I was very young. I started my formal music education at Notre Dame; however, I started mariachi at about the age of 12.
LareDOS: What brought you to music, what brought you to mariachi?
Cruz: My mother was probably the biggest influence on my musical career. She can't carry a tune in a bucket to save her life, but loves listening to all different styles of music, from the Beatles to Lola Beltran. She was definitely my greatest inspiration in regard to my love of music and to the particular genres of music that I am drawn to.
LareDOS: Name musicians you admire most and for what reason.
Cruz: I guess I would have to say that who I find most fascinating as an artist changes from day to day. Today I most admire Maria Callas and Jesse Norman, both operatic singers. Although she has died, Lola Beltran will always be my idol in regard to mariachi. Era la voz de los paisanos, the voice of the Mexican commoners, Lola La Grande.
LareDOS: What is your favorite, most expressive instrument to hear? To play?
Cruz: My favorite instrument is, without a doubt, the human voice. God gave (most) everyone a voice. A gift. It's free, comes with the package. It's what we make of it that defines our talent and level of diligence. Every crafted instrument is designed to emulate the human voice.
LareDOS: How long have you taught at TAMIU? What do you teach?
Cruz: This is my third year at TAMIU. I have taught Voice, Music History, Guitar, and I am the director of the Mariachi Internacional, the TAMIU Chorale, and the TAMIU Band.
LareDOS: How did you move your students and band members so quickly from a fledgling Mariachi program to an equipo that has earned such acclaim?
Cruz: I only ask them to work as hard as I do. We are a team, everyone is important and must do their part; including other faculty members and the TAMIU administration. We are diligent in our work/rehearsal. I can take a group of dedicated musicians and make them an award-winning ensemble a lot easier than I can take a group of soloists and try to do the same. My students realize the importance of being a team, an ensemble. We all work hard together. This is what makes a group great, award-winning. It isn't just one person. I couldn't do it without them and they couldn't do it without me. It takes a village, an ensemble.
LareDOS: What is your work ethic?
Cruz: My work ethic is the following: You get what you give. Work hard and diligent and it will pay off. It has so far. What goes around really does come around, so send out only good things.
LareDOS: What about teaching is most gratifying?
Cruz: Creating quality performers that you as an educator/performer can either happily perform with or sit back in an audience and enjoy.
LareDOS: What does the Mariachi represent to the university?
Cruz: The members of the Mariachi Internacional are TAMIU's best recruiters. They are all students in good academic standing at the university. They are the best of the best. They best demonstrate the idea that TAMIU is becoming a university of choice and not just one of convenience. These are students that have choices about where they want to be educated. They choose Texas A&M International University.
LareDOS: How many members are there in the Mariachi? Are there more waiting in the wings who will join as they become more proficient?
Cruz: Yes, there are people waiting in the wings. I am sure that our program is going to require several different layers very soon. Since the big win in San Antonio, my phone has been ringing off the wall with requests for performances and for information about joining the group (including the university's admission policies). To become a member of Mariachi Internacional, you should be proficient at one of the following instruments: guitarron, vihuela, guitarra de golpe, harp, violin, trumpet, or flute, but more than that, you have to have an intrinsic desire to be the best.
LareDOS: How do students audition? What do you look for? How hard do you push them?
Cruz: If you meet these criteria, come and see me. By the way, we don't accept vocalists who do not play one of the above mentioned instruments. There are no superstars in Mariachi Internacional. Everyone must carry their own weight. We are not accompanists, we are a team. Everyone is valuable.