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[paper crinkling]

[bird chirping]

[indistinct chatter]

[indistinct chatter continues]

[bright, sustained musical tone]

[applause]

[tone fades]

[cheering]

[bright, dramatic musical tones]

[cheering and applause]

[bright, dramatic music slowly building]

[brass instruments enter]

[man] ¡Sí, señor! [whistles]

[upbeat drum beat enters]

[upbeat music continues]

[speaking Spanish]

[cheering and applause]

But, Linda, what's a charro?

[vibrant, upbeat music continues]

[music ends abruptly]

[birds chirping]

She wakes up five minutes before we have to go.

[laughing] So I'm in here…

I get ready, and by the time I'm done,

she's getting up and starting to get ready.

Five minutes is extreme. It's usually like 30 minutes.

-[Bella] Lily, it's not 30 minutes. -[both laugh]

When we were little, it was okay. Mom would be like, "Hurry, I'm leaving!"

But now that I drive, we don't have to worry about it anymore.

[light, upbeat music playing]

A lot of people this year are new

to their instruments or mariachi or varsity,

so it's gonna be a hard year.

I'm section and group leader.

Every year, I wanted to be leader.

So, every day, when we have practice,

I'm the first one to show up and last to leave.

-Bye, Mamá. -Bye, Mamá.

Bye, baby, bye.

You know, uh, some of these students spent half of their high school careers at home.

So this is the first time that I'm meeting some of these members

in the varsity ensemble, uh, in person.

So we have a lot of catching up to do.

[indistinct chatter]

[girl] Good morning, Cougars.

Please stand and join me for the Pledge of Allegiance.

Honor the Texas flag;

I pledge allegiance to thee, Texas,

one state under God, one and indivisible.

[woman over PA] Thank you, Leanne.

And as always, let's make it a Cougarific day.

[girl] Aydin!

[boy] Marlena! Mariah!

Luis!

Edinburg North's Mariachi is

definitely chingón, man, like…

We do as much as we can with as little time as we have.

[Acuña] We've been in the top echelon in mariachi

in the 11 years that I've been teaching here at Edinburg North.

[violin tuning]

So it's "El Rey," and then it's "La Negra."

Violins, you're good?

[violin strings plucking]

[Acuña] Now that I have everybody here, you have to remember,

to be early is to be on time, to be on time is to be late,

and to be late is just unacceptable.

I'm very, very strict on timing.

All right, so today we're gonna work on our gritos.

-[boy] I don't know any. -[girl] It's just yelling.

You're gonna learn now. You're gonna hear what it sounds like.

Now, sometimes, guys, you get so comfortable,

we do this music so much…

[in Spanish] It's like it fills your soul.

[in English] Like, it-it… it-it… it just…

You feel… you could feel, like…

"Ah, this is awesome," and instead of keeping it there,

you want to release it.

[ululating shout]

Do a grito.

-Can I take off the mask? -You can go first.

Abby's gonna go first. Hang on.

[ululating shout]

-Wow. Whoo! -[cheering and applause]

[Acuña] Next? Bella, go.

-[ululating shout] -[cheering and applause]

Legacy.

-[squawks] -[laughter]

I have an inquisition. Are yeehaws allowed?

-[girl] No. -[Acuña] No.

All right. All right, no yeehaws?

Darn. All right. Very well, then.

[laughter]

[speaks Spanish] Uh…

[shouts]

I can't do that.

-[cheering and applause] -[Acuña] Good.

So, you can do it.

You just don't know that you can.

Right? You just did it right now.

"I can't do it," and you just did it.

Don't be afraid. It's part of being a mariachi, part of the music.

Putting that grito gives it more alegría.

Like, "Oh, that sounds awesome."

Gonna do a group activity now.

What do you want? What is your goal for the mariachi, uh, for this year?

-Okay? -[boy clears throat]

Hello there. Uh, I'm Drake.

Uh, I'm a… what, a senior this year?

I've been playing this thing for literally only, what, three weeks?

Not even a full six weeks? So, new to the guitarrón.

Um, as for my goals, I'm simply here because I was asked to be here.

My one goal is just to do my job, do it well.

You know, it's pretty much my end goal.

[applause]

Hi. My name is Marlena. Um…

I'm a senior this year.

My goal is just to have fun.

[applause]

Uh, my first goal would be to win all competitions.

-Just all of them, 100%. -[laughter]

And then be as close to perfect as our group can be.

-Yeah! -[cheering and applause]

Uh, Bella, we're gonna put violins here.

Then we have the guitars, harp, and guitarrón.

Then trumpets over in the back.

-Here it goes. One… -[metronome chiming]

Two…

One, two.

Ready? Go.

[violin chords playing]

Use all your bow.

[Bella] In a varsity mariachi, there's three sections

and everyone sings.

The violins have more difficult music because we can handle it.

[Acuña] Good. Now let's add the trumpets.

[Kaleb] The reputation for the trumpets

has always been lazy and having fun too much.

They don't have a great reputation. [laughs]

[Acuña] Armonía only. Ready, go.

[Bella] I'm worried for the armonía.

We have a lot of new people,

and we have a brand-new guitarrón,

so that worries me the most.

-[soft, mellow music playing] -[metronome continues]

-[music ends] -[Acuña] Good.

All right, guys, take out "Son de Mi Tierra," please.

Uh, make sure your focus is one of our competition songs.

Yeah? All right, guys, here goes.

Beginning, nice and slow.

One, two, three, one, two, three.

[bright music playing]

[singing softly in Spanish]

[song ends]

All right. [hums]

So I've had teams, uh, in the past that…

that are ready, ready to go and-and compete and…

championship-level teams.

Um…

This year, we're not there.

Then the three, right there.

[Acuña] Okay, guys, listen up, please.

Okay, so the first competition is a short two months away.

The Mariachi Vargas Extravaganza.

Then after that, we have to focus all our attention

on the one that you all want, your baby,

the state competition.

[mellow music playing]

For those of you that are new, we never perform with music.

Music is a guide for you to start learning the music.

After that, we start letting go, letting go.

We need to have two hours' worth of music memorized.

See you guys tomorrow, nine o'clock. Thank you.

[music continues]

So, here in the Rio Grande Valley,

Edinburg North being one of them,

it's a low-income district, it's a low-income school,

and so a lot of the students don't have that, uh, safety net.

So a lot of them depend on… on getting those scholarships,

on becoming better musicians to advance.

-[engine roaring] -[pigs grunting]

[Abby] I'm just gonna check… get the eggs.

Only two.

I'm the only musician in my family,

and everyone else shows pigs.

They've never even touched an instrument, so, yeah.

-[rooster crowing] -[pigs grunting]

And go like this.

And keep walking.

She's walking with her head up. Here. Like this.

If you're gonna turn her, way behind the shoulder.

Oh, it's back here?

Now I'm focusing on mariachi because

I feel like it's gonna get me further in college.

That right there is what led me to join mariachi, for sure.

You need to walk. You need to walk.

-Stop eating. Stop eating. -[pig snorting]

[bright violin music playing]

You're using the top half of your bow instead of the bottom.

-Are you serious? -You go… [hums]

This is… It just sounds, like, kind of, like, sloppy.

You just need to work on it. That's about it.

Okay, that's it, the singing part.

[singing in Spanish]

-Not right? -You're, uh… thinking about it too much.

You just have to be sure of the note and just hit it.

-You can't do a slide into it either. -Yeah.

You're still in your shell. Mariachi was supposed to bring you out.

A lot less than freshman year. I would not talk to anyone.

-You didn't even want to talk to me. -I was so quiet. This year, I've kind of…

You have to let that go.

Mm-hmm.

I mean, you can do it.

-[wind howls] -[rooster crows]

[mellow violin music playing]

I can still play kind of with the nails.

That's kind of impressive.

-I wouldn't be able to. -[laughs]

[Bella] I have three sisters, all younger.

I'm the oldest. Cat, she's the most like me.

She's really into playing the violin.

She's starting to join mariachi too.

Like, you… What you're doing is you're picking it up.

Picking it up, but your bow hits the string again.

You need to really practice that part over and over

and over and over and over and over and over and over and over again. Okay?

[laughs] I feel like you're gonna call me, like,

-like… I don't know. -When I'm in San Antonio?

Yeah. You're gonna call me, "Are you practicing, Cat?"

[Bella] I am. [laughs] I am.

You're gonna be gone for six years, Bella?

-Scary. -There's six years in college?

I thought it was just four.

Well, it depends what you do.

So, a bachelor's degree is four years,

and I already did my associate's, which was two years.

So I just need two years and then my four years of--

-Pharmacy school. -Pharmacy school, so yeah, six.

[bright music playing]

I mean, RGV, man, it's-it's El Valle.

You know, we have this music in our blood.

It is being at a barbecue and listening

to your tíos playing this music that they grew up on.

Mariachi music… it is home.

So here you have my three loves,

my daughter, my wife, and my violin. [laughs]

Okay.

[strings twanging]

I joined in 1995. I believe I was a sophomore in high school.

[bright music continues]

I picked up mariachi, and I was happy with gigging

and making those few hundred bucks,

'cause we don't know better when we were kids.

I had my daughter when I was 20.

I knew I had to go to school for sure to provide for her.

So I worked at a pawnshop.

Almost every night, I was out there,

you know, taloneando with the mariachi.

Whenever I had the chance to go and take one class

or two classes, I would do that.

There were some rough patches where we would go weeks

without having gigs, and was like,

"Okay, how am I gonna provide for my daughter?"

I think the person that changed my life was Mr. Llanes,

the orchestra director.

He sat me down and was like, "What are you gonna do with your life?"

Mr. Llanes was like, "You have a talent. Use it."

And so now my whole world revolves around mariachi.

I met my wife through mariachi at the university.

All my best friends are in mariachi.

And so I felt like, "I want to be a teacher,

and I want to do what they did to me

and change these kids' lives."

[light, uplifting music playing]

[indistinct chatter, laughter]

[girl] …of him handing the order, she was like, "Are you Snoop Dogg?"

He was like, "I think so."

[girl 2] It's time to take out your instruments!

[sprightly violin music playing]

Okay, so take the beginning, 12…

Stop playing and listen.

There is, uh… two before B, there is a-a first ending.

That first ending extends all the way to measure 49.

-You okay? -Yeah.

-Where did you come from? -Café.

[Acuña] Then at measure…

[Drake] Right off the bat, Mr. Acuña was like,

"Hey, it's not just the bass."

"You are the heartbeat of the group."

"You have everybody else relying on you to keep the time."

Like, that was made clear day one.

And so I was like, "Hi, responsibility." [laughs]

Okay, so, "Caminos de Guanajuato."

-[girl] Right now? -Yeah.

[singing in Spanish]

[mellow, tender music playing]

Bum, bum, bum…

[Acuña] Here goes. "Caminos de Guanajuato."

[Bella] Okay.

[upbeat music starts then stops]

First beat.

[upbeat music playing]

[singing in Spanish]

Bum, bum, bum, bum.

-Bum… -[singing continues in Spanish]

-What's this? -[Drake] Primera.

What notes do you play?

-F and C? -Yes. What's this?

-Segunda. -What notes do you play?

G and C.

[Acuña] Yes. G and C.

Yes. G and C. Okay, I'm giving it to you,

and you're, like, stuck on primera,

and you're supposed to be in segunda.

It's like you're hearing it but you're reacting a little bit late.

You're behind of the… of…

a whole measure behind.

All you have to do is listen to the song.

-How many times have you listened to it? -Uh…

-None. -None.

I know. The only time you listen is when we practice it here.

That's why, más o menos, you can get it, we practice it here.

But listen to it at home, dude.

José Alfredo Jiménez.

Who is José Alfredo Jiménez?

[overlapping chatter]

[girl] He has a mustache.

[overlapping chatter, laughter]

Singer-songwriter José Alfredo.

Uh, guys, know who this guy is, know who José Alfredo is.

Mostly, if you're gonna continue doing mariachi,

most of the stuff that you're gonna be playing is José Alfredo.

Our list has a bunch of José Alfredo.

[clears throat] Okay.

It's getting there, Drake, but the way you're playing right now, you're behind.

But we'll get you there. Dale.

[gentle music playing]

[Marlena] It feels stressful 'cause

the guitarrón is, like, the heart of the group,

and, like, it sucks when Acuña is getting mad at him

'cause for me, like, I'm the one who's leading him.

-Thank you. -You're welcome.

I care about you so much, Drake.

[chuckles]

[mellow music playing]

I've never seen anything like that.

We've been friends, like, practically our whole entire lives.

I remember this one moment,

and I was already like, I was like,

"Well, I think I'm, like… I'm, like, gay, like, right?"

And Mariah, like, she didn't know that at the time.

And she put her head on my shoulder, and I was like,

"I think… I think… I-I don't think she's straight."

[laughs] And…

And then Mariah was like, "I think I might like you."

And I was like, "I knew that."

[Mariah] But she's… I know she was scared

to, like, confront me about it.

'Cause we're best friends. Like, we don't…

We don't want to lose each other in that way.

So it was really scary for her, I think.

Especially 'cause I thought I was straight. [laughs]

[cheering]

Wait, wait, just get up.

You guys need to cheer for Mariah.

[boy] What's Mariah wearing?

[Marlena] Um, red.

[announcer] Mariah is a member of Mariachi Oro…

[cheering]

[Mariah] And so I wasn't really nervous about coming out.

It was just admitting to myself that it was real

and then telling my parents was, like…

[mellow music playing]

[indistinct chatter]

It's sort of mind-blowing that it's… we're going on half a year together,

because this is actually the longest relationship I've been in.

I'm just gonna wave my arms around

like a crazy person real quick and hope she notices me.

Um, but, like…

[indistinct chatter]

Hey, babe.

Um, they're sitting in the café with my friends like they normally do.

My friend Destiny, she brings over her friend.

She pulled me away from everybody else and was like,

"Hey, I had a crush on you in the eighth grade."

Right there on the spot, I was like, "Well, I'm your eighth grade crush."

"Want to give me a chance?" And that's how things happened.

[laughs]

Forward, march.

♪ Final leg, your left ♪

♪ Left, right… ♪

Before now, I did want to join the Army.

Um, what changed my mind was, um,

this little thing I've been building up. [laughs]

Unfortunately, my body mass index is

a little too far in one direction

for me to actually be able to join the Army.

[indistinct chatter]

[man] Who knows what CCMR stands for?

Uh, College Career Military Readiness.

[man] There you go. How many of you have heard me

say before… do one of two things?

[boy] College or military.

[man] College or the military. Now…

[Drake] I don't want to go to college,

but at the same time, I don't want to just do nothing.

Right? I want to at least start working.

If you guys go straight to the workforce,

you gonna end up getting shift work.

A lot of shift work, a lot of hourly wages.

Right now, you guys are not looking at the big picture.

[indistinct chatter]

[alarm beeping]

[indistinct announcement]

[Acuña] We're not in our… our beautiful mariachi room.

So look at the mirror and just play

"Son de Mi Tierra," and look at yourselves playing.

[cheery, up-tempo music playing]

[gritos]

[song ending]

[all] Sí, señor.

Remember, two people in the audience we're trying to please. Who?

[murmuring]

-[girl] Blind person and deaf person. -Thank you.

Blind person and deaf person.

The blind person cannot see anything you're doing,

but you have to play beautiful for them

so they could hear.

Right? The deaf person can't hear anything,

but you have to look beautiful also.

So being in the same part of the bow, doing the exact same manicos,

where they're supposed to be, everything is gonna please that person.

You have to think about that all the time, okay? This has to be perfect.

You have to play on time, and you have to look

exactly like the person next to you.

So we start off with the Mariachi Vargas Extravaganza.

It's a national competition.

It's perfect because it's early. They get to see what they're up against.

Most of the top dogs, the big mariachis,

they go to this one.

She already has a parent? Okay. Sounds good.

Mr. Acuña. You needed to see me?

Yes. Hello.

What's up? How's it going?

It's… [sighs] going. [chuckles]

Okay. I did want to go over the budget with you.

This is what…

This is what we're looking at right now.

-Uh-huh. -And it looks like…

you know, it's really being…

-spent. -Yes. [chuckles]

The way it should. And it's not a bad thing.

It's a very good thing. Okay?

Uh, do you think purchasing of music

is something that we need to look at?

If we can get an increase or…

-just moving stuff around. -Massage by moving things around.

Because the way competitions is now,

mariachis or judges are expecting your own original arrangements,

so we have to hire people to arrange them.

A bit more expensive.

-Okay. All right. -Yeah.

[in Spanish] What else?

[in English] I mean, there's other districts that, like, put

a lot of importance to, like, the Vargas Extravaganza.

The budget will cover those competitions

that have been sanctioned by the board.

Vargas, it's-it's, uh… it's-it's costly. Um…

It's two or three days of, uh, performance and workshops.

It's… Yes.

There are some times we have to do fundraisers.

-The budget can only cover so much. -Yeah.

So there are groups out there that get, like,

five times the budget that we get, and we have to compete against that.

But, uh, that's what we have to do, and we get it done.

[groovy, mellow electronic music playing]

[reporter] One mariachi group has risen to the top

of their class as they outperform groups

all across the state.

[reporter 2] Join me in welcoming, all the way from Roma, Texas,

the national award-winning student mariachi,

Mariachi Nuevo Santander.

[dramatic music building]

[vocalizing melody]

[group plays vocalized melody]

[energetic music playing]

[singing in Spanish]

-[music ends] -There we go.

Remember that once you're on stage,

once you have your traje,

you're actors, you have to stand…

If it's mariachi, you need to look like mariachi,

a true mariachi.

Right? El ranchero, bien ranchero.

So you need to transmit that. You need to project that.

Okay?

[upbeat music playing]

In order to become a member of the Roma ISD mariachi program,

it's because you already have gone through the middle school test in fifth grade.

Eighth note scales.

[humming]

Whenever they wear their traje, they have to know

that they have a whole country behind them,

because mariachi music is an art.

It's what represents our culture and our heritage,

and so they have to do it at the highest level.

[vocalizing]

When it comes to mariachi, it's competitive. [laughs]

[Acuña] So, the Roma High School mariachi

is the best high school mariachi in the nation.

But since they're not in our division,

the only chance we have to compete with them

is at the Mariachi Vargas Extravaganza.

If you're gonna sing, sing into the mic.

[boy] I'm a little short.

-Just go and move it. -How do you move it?

-[Acuña] Touch it and move it. -[all] Oh!

[clapping, laughter]

[Acuña] No more excuses, Aydin.

This competition, it's very pricey.

Help me get the bags, okay?

[Acuña] We have to come up with the money.

-Okay. -Okay, let's go.

[upbeat music playing]

Okay, that one's taped.

Five dollars. Three, three.

I'm just gonna grab one.

[speaking Spanish]

Okay.

[indistinct chatter]

For the next four people that come up.

[indistinct chatter]

Mexican candy, two for a dollar.

[music slowing]

[music fades]

[Acuña] The music that we chose, it's your standards.

Nothing flashy, nothing…

with all the bells and whistles.

I feel like if we play it clean, I expect…

I hope to at least advance to finals.

[playing warm-ups]

From the beginning of the… of the violin solo.

Ready? Three, one.

[vibrant music playing]

[singing in Spanish]

[Acuña] We're gonna do it again.

Careful, careful that that does not happen.

Right? It's just… it's just completely torn.

Well, it's like it changes to a different time signature,

so you're supposed to be able to hear

the guitarrón and the violins at the same time, and it's never in sync.

Like, we always end on different spots.

[Acuña] Got it? Do it again, same place.

[vibrant music playing]

Rushing, rushing.

They're not gonna adjust to you, Drake. You adjust to them.

'Cause if it's slowed down,

they're gonna get us.

How fast am I supposed to be going?

[Acuña] You're behind, trying to catch up.

[Abby] This is the first competition for most of the group,

so I'm worried nerves are gonna affect us.

[Acuña] It's a first competition for Drake.

It's gonna be at a national competition. [laughs]

So, I mean, nerves could get the best of him,

and if it does, pues, what can we do?

Pray.

[music ending energetically]

Okay, guys, so thank you very much.

Uh, get some rest and make sure you do practice

and get this stuff done.

This group, there's a lot of ganas.

Like, those kids really want to go

and, you know, I told them my goal is to make finals.

Meet me there.

[indistinct chatter]

Everybody repacked everything last night?

Botines, jackets, neck bows,

belts, rebozos, hair bows, girls.

Earrings, girls, did y'all pack your earrings?

How many of y'all did not sleep?

-I slept. -[boy speaks indistinctly]

-[Mirelle] Who's missing? -[chatter]

[bus engine rumbling]

[tense music playing]

[Acuña] All right. Go to sleep. Get off your phones and go to sleep.

-How's Marlena doing? -Oh, I'm freaking out.

-Marlena, how are you doing? -No, I'm having my process.

Oh.

[boy] Drake. Is there a jacket in there?

Oh. Never mind. It's here.

-Is the back of my hair okay? -Yeah.

Are you nervous? Are you stressed out?

-Think I'm okay. -We're gonna do great.

We're gonna make finals. We're gonna do amazing.

All I know is that Roma's gonna be great.

Oh, yeah, Roma's gonna get first place, for sure.

They're so good. I didn't know they were that good.

-Yeah! -It's time to roll.

-Oh, my gosh. -We have 13 minutes.

[Acuña] All right, we're a little bit pressed on time.

We need to start warming up,

so I'm gonna… we're gonna get off and just go. Yes?

[warm-up vocalizations]

[upbeat percussive music playing]

[horn honks]

Two, three, family!

[warm-up vocalizations continue]

[music intensifies]

[singing in Spanish]

Breathe, guys, breathe. Don't throw out your voices.

[vocalizing]

Go show your passion for our music.

[Acuña] All right.

Take a deep breath. Ready?

[inhaling deeply]

Out. [exhales]

Okay. Close your eyes.

Visualize you guys having a great performance.

And go out there and do it. Yes?

All right, open your eyes.

Have a great performance, guys.

[mariachi music playing in distance]

[indistinct chatter]

[announcer] Under the direction of Abel Acuña,

please welcome to the stage Mariachi Oro de ENHS.

[applause]

[vibrant, up-tempo music playing]

[gritos]

[singing in Spanish]

[vibrant music continues]

[gritos]

[applause]

[vocalizing]

-[music ends] -[cheering, applause, whistling]

[announcer] Thank you to all the mariachi instructors.

Without your support and dedication,

from all the musicians here today,

none of this would be possible.

[girl] "Puro Oro," on three.

[all] One, two, three, puro Oro!

[cheering]

[cheering and applause]

[announcer] The next group

comes from Roma High School in Roma, Texas.

Please welcome to the stage Mariachi Nuevo Santander!

[cheering and applause]

[energetic music playing]

♪ Santander! ♪

[singing in Spanish]

[speaking Spanish]

[gritos]

[energetic music continues]

[singing in Spanish]

-[music ends] -[cheering and applause]

Now let's hand over the mic to Mariachi Vargas

to find out who tonight's national group competition's winners are.

[man speaking Spanish]

[soft, dramatic music playing]

[in Spanish] The first group is Mariachi Santander JV from Roma High School.

[cheering and applause]

[in English] JV, that's their JV.

Mariachi Cascabel, Rio Grande City High School.

Grulla de Plata.

[cheering and applause]

Nuevo Santander, Roma High School.

[audience chanting "Roma!"]

-[chant dies down] -[indistinct chatter]

[soft, dramatic music continues]

[message chimes]

Everybody's real interested in how we're doing.

Uh, the chief of police there, Edinburg PD,

he's… he, uh… was like, "How'd y'all do?"

And I was like, "Sorry, sir. We didn't do very good. We didn't make finals."

He's like, "Tell them we at Edinburg Police Department

are proud of what they have accomplished."

And he loves us at home.

The chief, like, he loves the-the kids, the way they play,

the way they present themselves and all that.

We have a lot of support at home. It's great.

It's just, yeah, we can't win them all, right?

[birds chirping]

[solemn music playing]

[bus brakes hiss]

[indistinct chatter]

[indistinct announcement]

[playing warm-ups]

-[instruments quiet] -Okay.

So, I wanted to talk to you guys about this weekend.

I did hear some of you guys like, "No, we just weren't good enough."

Guys, no, I don't… I don't need

that kind of attitude from you guys.

Think about the way you sounded the very first rehearsal.

[in Spanish] How did you sound?

[in English] It was bad, guys. It was absolutely horrible.

You know? And then to what you sounded like Friday night.

Friday night was the best I've ever heard you play.

It's not gonna be like, "Bam!" Continue from last year.

No, we took a hit.

We have a new guitarrón player.

We have young armonía.

We have a new harp player.

When we were on stage and you finished doing the hat salute,

and Drake did that big gulp, I was like, "Ay, ay, ay, Drake." [laughs]

I could tell that he was very nervous.

[laughs] But you-you nailed it, dude.

But you did good, man.

Like, you did really good.

I mean, you just… you just composed yourselves.

You got it together and you went for it,

and it sounded really good.

So congratulations on that.

I want you guys to clap for yourselves.

[all applauding]

Okay, so the Vargas Extravaganza, it's over.

[speaks Spanish]

Now, let's just focus on state.

[Abby] I had a serious conversation with my mom about the whole college thing.

My parents, they-they told…

they said they can't help at all.

Like, at all, at all, at all.

They told us since we were small,

"We don't have money to be paying for tuition or anything."

That's why they've always,

since we were in middle school, pushed on getting good grades

and just being the best student we possibly can to get scholarships.

There are so many pros, like, for staying here

but at the same time, I wanted to…

I just want to leave.

Like, that's been my… my dream since I was really young.

My dad's like, "It's not as easy as you think, just leaving."

"You don't know how to drive."

"Where and what are you gonna get from place to place?"

I want more freedom. I can't imagine being in my twenties

and still being the way, like,

you know, the way I am right now.

Fix the seat, the seat belt, the mirrors.

-Okay. -Whenever you're ready.

-[chuckles] -[handbrake clicks]

-Why are you so stiff? -I'm not stiff.

-[chuckles] -I'm scared.

Now stop.

[turn signal clicking]

-And then I turn. -Okay, turn.

[both laugh]

Ay, ay, ay.

That's why I've put this off so many times.

Oh, I put the brake… I put the brake instead of the gas.

[Albert sighs, chuckles]

[Abby] I'm not gonna not get a driver's license.

-So you need to practice. -All summer, I have…

Slow down. There's a stop sign.

Stop sign.

You need to get up with me every morning on the weekends. I know that's hard.

The weekends? What do you do on the weekdays?

-I-I have stuff at the ranch. -Oh, yeah, yeah, yeah.

You know what I do a lot? I space out.

-[Albert] Well, you… -I did it now without realizing it.

-That's not good, Abby. -I know.

Why don't you space out playing your violin?

I do. I can still do it.

Okay, let go of the gas.

Put your blinker to your left.

-Stay in your lane. -Oh.

[turn signal clicking]

Not gonna make a complete stop. Stay in your lane.

-I think I am. -No, you're not. Right through your lane.

They're gonna hit you. No, no.

That's cutting the corner. Go, mijita.

Give it some gas before we get hit.

[sighs] My God.

I think 30 minutes is enough today. [laughs]

[trumpet music playing]

[indistinct chatter]

[girl] Ready?

[gentle mariachi music playing]

[gritos]

[singing in Spanish]

[singing continues in Spanish]

[music ends]

[sighs]

-[indistinct chatter] -[instruments playing]

[Bella] They walked out.

Like, right now, both of them texted me, "Drake's outside with his girlfriend."

[boy] Really? Like, right now?

Right now he's outside with his girlfriend.

Did no one tell him we had practice?

-I told him. -Practice every morning.

-I told him. -I know. He should know.

I told him yesterday.

-Was he here yesterday? -I wonder what Acuña's doing.

I'm going to start crying.

-[low chatter] -[speaks indistinctly]

[instruments playing]

[Acuña] Drake.

Close the door.

Dial nine first, call your parents.

-Let them know what happened. -Yes, sir.

Mom.

Hey, um, I was removed from the mariachi group.

Um, I haven't been showing up to practice in the mornings.

I've been doing anything else.

[Acuña] No. Tell her the truth, man.

I've been hanging out with friends instead of going to practice.

Hello, miss. How are you?

I-I'm good. Uh, just wanted to-to…

You know, it's protocol that, uh… when something like this happens,

they have to call home and… and just let the parents know.

Um, so, I mean, unfortunately, that's his fifth demerit.

They get up to five, and that's his fifth one.

Thank you so much, miss. Yes, ma'am. Thank you. Bye-bye.

There you go, dude, so your mom's on board.

Uh, she feels that you should have been coming to practice.

Um, it's unfortunate she didn't know there was an 8:00 a.m. practice.

You're supposed to let them know. It's very important.

You are by yourself on guitarrón, dude.

And you're-you're letting the group down.

We're a family, and you're very distracted.

You said… There, you said, "Guys, I'm sorry."

"I've been very distracted with my girlfriend."

"I promise I'm gonna change."

-Is this change? -No.

It's unfortunate, you're starting to sound like a guitarrón player, really good,

and you're just throwing it all away

because you want to go and hang out. All right?

We have a new guitarrón player.

[indistinct chatter]

[solemn music playing]

[music fades]

[Drake] The Stuka Junkers 87G-1 Tank Buster.

This was a neat little dive-bomber

during the Second World War made by…

Junkers, I think it's pronounced in German.

I know for a fact that I've been the source

and reason for contentions in the group.

I can't help but feel bad about it

because, you know, it's like there are things

I could… I could've done to prevent things like that

from happening, but I don't

because I don't see it immediately.

Uh, so…

Yeah.

[cell phone buzzing]

Yo, she texted me.

My girl.

She texted me real quick.

Um, let's see.

She's absolutely amazing.

That's the best way I can describe her, just…

absolutely amazing.

She and I have the same…

have the same little, um…

Our dads bailed after some amount of time, so…

My dad booked it when I was about 13.

He took off to San Antonio.

I don't really spend…

I really only get to see him like once a year.

Um…

And… yeah, that's about it.

Does that fit? Yes, it does. Yes, it does.

And then if I can get the tail rudder

to fit in place real quick…

No, other way around. Other way around.

She's coming together.

[mellow electronic music playing]

All right, guys. Uh, let's get started, all right?

Aydin, "¿Quieres comer?" What does that mean?

I know what "quieres" means.

[teacher] Rate is equal to K,

and this is gonna be concentration of B.

[mellow electronic music continues]

[Marlena] Having Drake kicked out was…

It didn't even feel real.

It just felt like… I was like, "Good."

He deserves to get kicked out.

Like, "Why… why are you, like…"

"Why aren't you showing up?"

I started thinking about it, and I was like,

Drake's still in my section,

so I went to Acuña,

and I was like, "What do we do about Drake?"

He's like, "He needs to appeal."

I was, "What if he doesn't want to do the appeal?"

And he was like, "What do you think we should do?"

I was like, "I don't know! I'm asking you."

We don't have other guitarróns lined up

or other guitarróns up to speed.

There's nobody that can just fill in for Drake.

[Acuña] Usually, I like to, you know,

get the instrument and just jam out with the kids

and, you know, and… me encanta.

I love it.

But something about this year…

They burned me out, man. I'm tired.

You know, I think the kids see my husband more than I do.

But he has to do the job as one person

that other schools are doing with three or four full-time people,

but there's just not enough time in the day for him to achieve it all.

[Acuña] All right, come on in. Set up your chairs.

[upbeat music playing]

[all] Sí, señor.

[Acuña] It's extremely slow, man.

[speaks Spanish]

I'm falling asleep over here.

I cannot be doing, "Let's do it again. Let's do it again. All right, let's…"

We can't be doing that.

You see your calendar, you see how busy we are.

There's no time to do the stuff we've already done.

Unless you want to go back.

I could start canceling everything,

"Let's just stick with 'La Negra' and 'El Rey' for the whole year."

What do y'all want to do? The fun stuff or you want to get better and continue?

Because the ones that go and win competitions

don't think of themselves as high school kids trying to play mariachi.

They think of themselves as mariachi players.

All right?

Breathe, breathe.

No. You're breathing from your shoulders. Breathe from your stomach. No, no.

-How do you do that? -No, no, breathe.

Yeah, yeah, there you go.

So do that, now push from there

so when you breathe… [breathes sharply]

…and that'll help you.

How do you think I play high notes? It's all from here.

I didn't know about that.

-Hey, can I talk to you real quick? -Yeah. About?

-College. -Oh, of course.

Okay, so I told you about Texas State, right?

I want to go there, Texas State, for mariachi.

But I got completely, like, a full ride to UTRGV.

I'd be getting 4,000 a semester,

like, for my own pocket, right?

But my whole goal is to leave and, like, be independent.

But right now I'd have to pay Texas State.

Okay, so let-let me just…

let me just put things, like, into perspective.

I think you can get a pretty good scholarship for music school.

-Mm-hmm. -Will it cover everything?

-Probably not. -Mm-hmm.

But it's something.

It seems dumb to go to Texas State just for, like…

No, it's not, because you want to get

the experience of being in college.

Like, you want to be on your own.

If that's what you want to do,

I think $2,000 a year, even though you're paying it,

I think it's-it's worth it.

-Mm-hmm. -I think that's what you want.

You've been saying since I first met you

that you wanted to… you wanted to be on your own.

You wanted to learn, like, to be out there.

You're just like Andrea.

My daughter got the same offer at UTRGV.

I didn't want Andrea to leave,

but at the end, I was like, "She needs to learn how to be an adult."

Yeah.

So, yeah, you have a lot of thinking to do.

[birds chirping]

[chuckling]

You ever wonder if you're gonna be a bad teacher?

[Mariah] No.

What? Really?

-Yeah. -I'm scared.

I feel like I might be a bad teacher.

It's elementary kids. Like…

Honestly, I'd make so… We'd make so much money

if we just lived in Texas.

But is it… is it good for our sanity? No.

-No. -Is it good for our views?

No.

It's hot. Uh…

What happens if they find out we're gay?

That's gonna be really bad.

What happens if they're, like, "I don't want you two to be here"?

That's gonna be horrible. Then we're gonna be jobless.

I don't want to be jobless. I don't want to be fired.

I don't want to be discriminated.

There's a lot of risks being a teacher in Texas.

Where would you want to move instead?

Canada.

Expensive, though. Also, is there any mariachis in Canada?

We can start mariachis in Canada.

Wouldn't it be cool starting it in a new country?

No.

It'd be different.

[crickets chirping]

Gonna just have to be careful about where we work

as teachers in Texas.

What?

[motors buzzing nearby]

[Acuña] What's up, Drake?

Afternoon. How are y'all?

Good.

[sighs]

Um, I want to be here. I want to do everything I can.

Um, not only is it an honor to be here on the…

the varsity team of all teams,

uh, it's also pressuring because I've only been playing my instrument for so long,

and so I have to sort of pick up my slack

and, like, doubly so.

So I really have to put in my all, so…

[Acuña] I told Drake, "You have another chance,

but, like, you need to show up to everything,"

and that's how he… he ended up getting the spot.

Um, I want to thank you personally for allowing me to be the guitarrón.

Thank you for this opportunity. I truly appreciate it.

[Acuña] You got it, man.

-Thank you. -For sure.

[gentle violin music playing]

[Acuña] Since Roma High School is a smaller school,

they don't compete in our division at state,

but one of the better schools in our division

is the La Joya High School mariachi.

[strings join in]

[singing in Spanish]

So, in 1982, La Joya established

a mariachi program here at La Joya High School

to keep students from going out to the streets

and learning bad behaviors.

And then, all of a sudden, all these other schools

started seeing the success of our program.

So then, uh, Roma started their program.

It became a snowball effect.

Now everybody has a mariachi program at the high schools.

One, two, three, one, two.

[singing in Spanish]

[indistinct chatter]

[vibrant music playing]

Go. Faster. One, two, three, one, ready, and…

[vibrant music playing]

A… A, D.

When I came in, we started making state,

and we've been receiving superior ratings,

and I feel like once the kids have a taste of success,

they… it just doesn't stop.

So, guys, look, the issues that are happening

are very easy to fix

if you just pay attention to what's happening around you.

Okay? Remember, we're varsity. [chuckles]

Okay?

I think we're ready, guys, for the contest.

If-if we're focused and we perform the way

we're practicing here, I think we're gonna be okay.

Thank you so much, guys, and we'll see you tomorrow.

-[boy 1] Thank you, sir. -[boy 2] Sir. [continues indistinctly]

You don't have to put on lipstick or your lashes yet, right?

No, lashes, I was gonna wait till school,

and lipstick-- we're wearing masks.

[cell phone ringing]

Mel's calling me.

Hello?

Hey, we're meeting at 1:00, right?

Yes, we're meeting at 1:00.

-Just making sure. Okay, bye. -Okay, bye.

"We're meeting at 1:00, right?" [laughing] Yes.

Mm-hmm. Andy's texting me.

Let me answer this real quick.

Morning of competitions, everybody's always calling and texting me.

"Is it one o'clock? One o'clock?"

My foot fell asleep. My whole leg is asleep.

-Ugh, my leg's asleep. [laughing] -Yep.

[solemn music playing]

[Acuña] We're hosting a contest

to be able to get critiques from judges

before the actual UIL event.

[speaking Spanish]

[vocalizing]

[speaking Spanish]

[girl] So the judges were from Sol de México,

one of the most famous, well-known mariachis in the world,

and they rate you like if they were at actual qualifiers.

Kaleb, you're in the front.

Ready?

-How are they sounding? -Not good.

Did you already warm up your voices?

-No. -Let's do that.

[warm-up vocalizations]

[solemn music continues]

[upbeat mariachi music playing]

[gritos]

[Acuña] In 31 years

of Edinburg North High School's existence,

the mariachi has never gotten a two.

You accomplished that today.

[singing in Spanish]

I've never seen Edinburg North High School--

that's what it says there-- and two.

Edinburg North High School, two.

Edinburg North High School, two.

And I thought they were being very nice.

A lot of you guys think, "Somos chingones."

"I'm part of the Edinburg North High School Mariachi."

"They're doing a documentary on us. We're awesome, don't have to practice."

"I don't have to go home and practice 'cause I'm already good."

That's the attitude that I'm seeing. That's not the way it's supposed to be.

I don't care that they're making a film.

We still have a job to do.

And today, you did not do that job.

And I don't want to see you guys go,

"Yeah, yes, sir." I don't want that.

I want you to do it.

[solemn music continues]

[Melanie] Mariachi means a lot to me.

It's just like, we do not want to fail everyone, you know?

We can't be the group that sucks.

[food sizzling]

[Kaleb] Our mariachi took a big hit.

I mean, we saw how it affected Acuña,

getting twos for the first time in, what, 20 years,

30, 25 years.

-[music playing on phone] -You can skip the singing.

[Abby] I feel like a failure. Like…

how could I let this happen my senior year?

[music fades]

[indistinct chatter]

[door opens]

So, I wanted to talk to you guys about what mariachi means to you guys.

Um…

Mariachi, what it means to me,

what it ended up being… meaning to me is my livelihood.

I fell in love with the music,

and, you know, I made a career out of it.

What does it mean to you guys? Marlena?

My first, like, memory of a mariachi

-was at a funeral… -[laughter]

…where everybody was crying.

And I remember the casket was going, like,

down to the ground, and they started, like,

playing… I don't know what song they started playing.

"Amor Eterno"?

Probably that one. Yeah.

And, like, my aunt just, like, lost it.

And I was like… And then everybody started losing it.

They just started playing louder. That way, nobody would hear.

And I was like, wow, it's that powerful to have…

you know, people playing a song,

and just everybody just, like, feels, like, intense emotion.

Like, regardless if it's, like, sad or, like…

Mariachi's just, like… you can convey

so much emotion with it

that you can't get with, like, that much things.

So that's what mariachi means to me.

[applause]

[Acuña] Anybody else?

-Aydin? -I'll go.

I've never felt, like, connected, uh, to other people.

People have always called me whitewashed and stuff

because I like rap music and hip-hop and whatever.

-[laughter] -And… [chuckles]

It's just, uh… it's just, like,

a way for me to be involved with music and stuff,

being, like, a part of my culture and stuff

and not being excluded anymore.

Very good.

Anybody else?

Luis.

My-my tryouts, I-I didn't think I was gonna make it.

My first thought was, "I'm gonna try it. Maybe it's something new."

"If I get it, I get it. If I don't, at least I tried."

At least I knew that I tried, myself.

And somehow, magically, well, I ended up here.

And I was, like, so scared, so super scared,

'cause, like, the trumpets there, I saw them play, and I was like,

"I need to, like, get there."

And so I eventually started practicing more,

and I gained confidence not even that long ago,

like, a lot more than I had.

I know. I remember.

I might get emotional now 'cause…

[chuckles] Mariachis… makes me feel accepted…

for who I am.

Like, I don't mean to cry… Sorry.

-[laughter, murmuring] -It's just…

It's just, uh… it's just…

Like, when I'm here, I feel… I feel the love.

Like, I can actually feel love from y'all.

-Y'all… -Stop it, Luis.

-You're making me tear up too. -[laughter]

You-you helped me, like… At one point, I was like,

I didn't think, like, I'd belong,

and you helped me understand that this is what I need to do.

[Acuña] Yeah, man. Well, check this out.

So I remember you sending in your audition video, and, um…

It was rough, man. I'm not gonna lie.

[laughter]

But you know what I saw?

I saw… a clarity in your tone.

And since day one, I told you, "Dude, I like your tone."

You can play, man.

If you really, really, like, focus, you can play.

Like, dude, you don't suck.

Whoever told you that… that you did, they're wrong.

[applause]

-[boy] I love Luis. -[laughter]

[Acuña] So now we move forward. Let's get better.

["Quema" by Sotomayor playing]

We have to be able to overcome los nervios, guys,

los nervios.

I want all three songs perfect.

Like, watch me.

Yawning while we're playing? Seriously?

Yawn after.

["Quema" by Sotomayor continues]

[laughter]

["Quema" by Sotomayor continues]

[cheering and applause]

[Acuña] Everybody in the picture?

[students chanting] Seniors!

Seniors! Seniors! Seniors! Seniors!

Seniors! Seniors! Seniors!

Cougar nation!

I've gotta tell you now that our mariachi made it to the area competition.

So let's hear it for the band. Let's hear it for the band.

Yeah, congratulations, band. We love you.

Let's give it up for the Mariachi Oro de ENHS.

[cheering and applause]

[tender, upbeat mariachi music playing]

[gritos]

[cheering]

[singing in Spanish]

[cheering]

[all singing]

[singing continues in Spanish]

[singing continues in Spanish]

[cheering]

[music ending]

[cheering and applause]

[strings twanging]

[trilling on violin]

[energetic violin music playing]

[inhales deeply, exhales]

Hello, hello. Abigail?

-Yes. -Come on in.

You got this.

Welcome. And, uh,

tell me, what is the degree you've chosen,

the mariachi degree with…?

With, uh… It's a major in mariachi.

I hope to go back and teach mariachi.

Back home to your hometown? Okay.

You want to go back to your hometown and teach. Okay.

And today you've prepared "Viva Veracruz" and "La Madrugada."

Okay.

[recording of upbeat mariachi music playing]

[playing spirited violin melody]

[music ends]

[man] Okay. Do you know what key you're playing in?

-In E major. -E major. How many sharps would that have?

-Four. -Okay. Good. Good.

Yeah. So it's-it's important that you know

your-your theory and what you're playing in.

[woman] All right. Good for you. All right.

Uh, do we have anything left to musically ask?

-Okay. -Thank you for coming.

-Thank you. -Thank you.

-Bye-bye. -Bye. Thank you.

[chuckles] Thank you.

[Abby] I-I messed up a lot.

I-I didn't play the best I could play.

But that happens at every… yeah.

I was shaking really bad.

-Why? -It's okay, but she said…

When… She goes, "I can't wait to see you here soon."

That's what she said. "When we…"

She said… instead of saying, like,

"If you'll be accepted," she was like,

"When you're here." Like, she said that.

Aw. I'm so happy for you.

-You nervous, though? -Not anymore.

[sighs]

[bright electronic music playing]

[music ends]

What is this?

[singing "Serenata"]

[singing in Spanish] ♪ You're my passion that never ends ♪

♪ I'm in love with your kisses ♪

♪ Who said that women ♪

♪ Can't be the ones who serenade? ♪

"Roses are red, violets are blue,

I want to be gay at prom with you."

Aw. That's very nice.

Will you go to prom with me?

-Um… -What do you mean, "Um…"?

Oh. The thing is, is, uh… I'm not really gay.

Oh, sure. [chuckles] You're going to prom with me, right?

Yeah, I'm going to prom with you.

That's very nice of you. I really like this a lot.

[birds chirping]

[Bella] Everybody ready?

[indistinct chatter]

Trumpets!

-Okay, just go. -Okay.

-Smile. Smile, smile. Smile. -Cutie pies, come on.

[Acuña] This song… So we have our son, right?

¿Verdad? So then this one's to show off.

"Hey, look, there's all the skills that we have."

The amazing violin section,

amazing trumpet section, the amazing armonía section.

This is the one where we really show off.

So really show it off.

[bright harp music playing]

[band joining in with cheery melody]

[boy speaking in Spanish]

[gritos]

[Acuña] The reason for all the features,

doing a… a violin feature and a trumpet feature,

that's to kind of, like,

get the judges to, like, "Hey, we're stepping it up a little bit more."

You know, as long as I get that superior rating,

that's what I want the most.

[vibrant mariachi music playing]

[music fades]

Goes one, two, three, one, two.

[vibrant mariachi music continues]

The second… [babbles]

What are the notes?

[music continues]

Each one… [vocalizes notes]

-[playing notes slowly] -Together, ready, and…

[playing notes quickly]

[vocalizes notes] One, two, three, one, two.

[playing notes quickly]

Now, everybody, beginning of that.

[vocalizes notes]

One, two, three, one, two.

[music continues]

[music stops]

Take care of those notes, guys.

You could hear every single little thing.

If you're just skipping through it, you could hear it.

Don't fake. There's no faking in this group.

Play each and every note, 'cause it will be caught.

If you think that we're being picky here,

imagine five different judges that are experts at this craft.

They're gonna hear every single little thing.

[Abby] My anxiety wakes me up every morning

because I'm so nervous.

[bright melody playing]

[Luis] I don't want to be the weakest link.

I would like to prove I'm worthy of being there.

[trumpet playing]

[bright violin music playing]

Heavenly Father, thank you for this day you have blessed us with.

It's been a long journey, but…

Ready?

[whistles] Listen, we need to get those medals.

We need for one of those judges to be like,

"Award all of the mariachi medals. They played amazing."

Okay? Got it?

[Melanie] It's just been really scary

going into every competition

because we could fall apart at any time.

[singing in Spanish]

Wait, restart. Ready?

[singing in Spanish]

Why is it sounding messy and so slow?

Subdivide, okay?

I'm giving you a whole measure before.

Don't mess up the 16th notes.

One, two, three, one, two.

[violins playing]

Lupe. Your instruments coming down needs to be as fast as it is coming up.

With me, okay?

You guys weren't ready.

You're lagging, Evelyn.

One, two, three, one, two.

[energetic violin music playing]

-[music ends] -[metronome clicking]

[tense music playing]

[solemn trumpet music playing]

[solemn, powerful dramatic music playing]

[solemn trumpet music playing]

[chanting in Spanish]

[cheering and applause]

[announcer] Ladies and gentlemen,

Rio Grande City High School, Mariachi Cascabel.

Kinder HSPVA, Los Pasajeros.

Lanier High School,

Mariachi Orgullo de San Antonio.

Mariachi Los Coyotes.

[vibrant music playing]

[vocalizing]

[singing in Spanish]

[cheering and applause]

[announcer] The next mariachi in Conference 6A

is La Joya High School, Mariachi Los Coyotes.

[cheering and applause]

[mellow, tender music playing]

[singing in Spanish]

[singing continues in Spanish]

[upbeat music playing]

[singing continues in Spanish]

[gritos]

[energetic music playing]

[singing continues in Spanish]

[music ends]

[cheering and applause]

[announcer] Mariachi Los Coyotes.

[playing warm-ups]

[Acuña] All right, here goes. So…

everything that happened before today doesn't matter.

Whatever happens from this point and on is what matters.

So you're gonna go over there, gonna play with lots of pride.

For what?

To honor the members before you

and to leave a legacy for the members after you guys.

Raise your hand if you're a senior.

This is your last one. Make it count.

You are Mariachi Oro.

[cheering and applause]

All right. Have a good show.

All right, armonía first, please, line up.

Armonía, trumpets, and violins.

[dramatic music playing]

[announcer] The next one up…

from Edinburg North High School, Mariachi Oro de ENHS.

[cheering and applause]

[dramatic music continues]

[vibrant, up-tempo mariachi music playing]

[singing in Spanish]

[music and singing stop]

[bright harp melody playing]

[band joins in]

[gritos]

[speaking Spanish]

[gritos]

[singing in Spanish]

[vibrant mariachi music continues]

[gritos]

[vibrant mariachi music continues]

[speaks Spanish]

[gritos]

[gritos]

[spirited violin runs]

-[trumpets enter with vibrant melody] -[gritos]

[singing in Spanish]

[vibrant music continues]

[music ends]

[announcer] Ladies and gentlemen, please give one more round of applause

for Edinburg North High School, Mariachi Oro…

-[cheering and applause] -…de ENHS.

[cheering and applause continue in distance]

Ladies and gentlemen, assembled before you

are the student representatives from the performing schools

from this session.

[cheering and applause]

[woman] If your group is announced as a winner,

we ask that the whole group come to the stage

to receive their trophy and medals.

And now, third place in Division 6A

for the 2022 Mariachi Finals is…

Mariachi Los Pasajeros from Kinder HSPVA.

[cheering and applause]

Now, in second place in Division 6A

for the 2022 TAME State Mariachi Finals is…

Mariachi Oro de ENHS from Edinburg North High School.

[cheering and applause]

[bright, inspiring music playing]

[excited chatter]

[hushed chatter]

[excited chatter, cheering]

[laughter]

[girl] I'm gonna cry!

-Don't cry. It's not over yet. -It's already happening.

[laughing] You can't tell me to stop it.

Why'd you have to start crying? I don't want to cry.

[singing "Como la Flor"]

["Como la Flor" by Selena playing]

I am extremely proud of the work that you guys did.

[all cheering]

[chanting] Seniors! Seniors! Seniors!

Seniors! Seniors! Seniors! Seniors!

[indistinct chatter]

Seniors! Seniors! Seniors!

Seniors! Seniors!

Oh, my God…

[chatter continues indistinctly]

-You keep saying that! -[laughter]

[excited chatter]

["Como la Flor" by Selena continues]

[camera shutters clicking]

[song ends]

-[cell phone ringing] -Huh?

-[girl on phone] Hello. -Where are you?

I'm trying to park my truck here, and I just wanted to--

Okay. I'm gonna open the email.

Oh, okay. I'm listening.

Okay. "Congratulations. The Texas State School of Music faculty

was impressed with your audition, you're a talented musician."

"You'll be awarded a music scholarship

in the amount of $1,000 for the 2022-2023 academic year."

That's a thousand.

-Congratulations. -Thank you.

A thousand renewable every semester,

on top of what they've already--

[Albert] Every semester?

Every semester. A thousand every semester.

-That's two grand a year. -[laughter]

-Congratulations. -Thank you.

-[girl] Congratulations. I'm so proud. -[Abby] Thank you.

-That is so awesome. Congratulations. -Thank you.

Where'd he go?

[laughing] Why are you crying?

Why are you crying?

Why are you crying?

'Cause he's crying. 'Cause you're crying.

-Oh, my gosh. -[laughs]

[woman over PA] As you know, today is the last day of school,

so as always,

may you have a Cougarific summer.

[knocking softly]

I'm here to clear.

-[Acuña] I'm not gonna let you. -[laughs]

You have to have my traje and everything.

[Acuña sighs] I'm not gonna let you go.

-Where's everything? -I have it here.

Let me get it for you.

-[Acuña] There you go. -[Bella] Aw.

[laughter]

I've had this since freshman year.

-[Acuña] You have. -[Bella] My box.

[Acuña] Earrings.

And then here's my traje.

Let me check the pockets.

I always put everything in my pocket.

Mm. There's that.

Okay, cool.

So, did you learn anything this year you could take with you?

I think I'm gonna take everything with me.

That leaders are the first ones there and last ones to leave, being responsible…

It transferred to my classes at school.

Gonna transfer to everything else when I leave.

That's what I'm hoping. That's, like…

Because, I mean, like, you're the prime example.

Not everybody's gonna study music and mariachi

and all that stuff, but if anything,

I would love for you just to take that with you.

And you did. Everything that we went through as a group,

as an ensemble, and how we were able to overcome all those… hurdles.

Even though, like you say, it was hurdles and hurdles,

we still had a lot of good memories.

It was a good year.

As much as it was, like, the hardest year,

-it was a good year. -Yeah.

-It was. -Yeah.

[Acuña laughing] No, Bella.

Well…

And here you are now, and I have to say goodbye, so…

so thank you so much for everything.

-Want to hug it out. -Aw.

[laughter]

-Thank you, Bella. -[sniffles]

Thank you so much. You're awesome.

[exhales, sniffles]

-I didn't think I was gonna cry today. -[laughs]

Me, neither. That's why I'm wearing the glasses, so you wouldn't tell.

[chuckles]

All right, cool. Well, you're all cleared, so…

-I guess that's it. -That's it.

[laughing] Yeah.

[sighs]

[sighs]

[Mariachi 7 Leguas singing "Guadalajara"]

[energetic mariachi music playing]

[singing continues]

[emcee] Marlena Andrea Torres.

[cheering]

Abigail Nayeli Garcia.

[energetic mariachi music continues]

Drake Alexander Pacheo.

[cheering and applause]

Isabella Luna.

[cheering]

[energetic mariachi music continues]

[cheering and applause]

[man] Congratulations, class of 2022.

We wish you the very best of luck.

[energetic mariachi music continues]

[song ends]

["En Tu Pelo" by Mariachi Oro de ENHS playing]

[boy singing "En Tu Pelo"]

["En Tu Pelo" by Mariachi Oro de ENHS continues]

[singing continues]

[song ends]

[speaking Spanish]

-Wait. -Wait, I blinked.

-That was great. -[laughter]