The audience watched in silence as 15 performers in elegant, black trajes de charro, the uniform of mariachi groups, filled the stage of Bates Recital Hall. Burnt orange moños — large bow ties — decorated the necks of the musicians, adding a distinctive UT flair to their outfits.
Mariachi Paredes de Tejastitlán, UT’s flagship mariachi ensemble, ended the semester with its annual Spring Concert on April 18. Established in 1977, Mariachi Paredes brings the beauty of traditional Mexican music to the Forty Acres. Greg Cavazos, assistant professor of practice in music and human learning, serves as director for UT’s mariachi ensembles, which include Mariachi Paredes and Utlán — a larger 25-person laboratory ensemble that prepares students for the former ensemble. Cavazos finishes his second year of directing UT’s mariachi ensembles this semester.
“I have great, great students and wonderful administrative support,” Cavazos said. “It’s wonderful to take these students out to … performances. They’re so well received.”
Computer science senior Isabella Caballero performed her last show with Mariachi Paredes during the Spring Concert. She joined the ensemble during her first semester at UT and, with one exception, played violin for the group each semester of her UT career.
“(Mariachi Paredes provided) a really good balance between my schoolwork and (personal enjoyment),” Caballero said. “I’ve always loved music as an outlet for my creativity. … It introduced me to a lot of amazing people as well, so that definitely kept me in the group for (a long time).”
In October 2025, the group traveled to Indonesia for seven days to participate in the Indonesian International Cultural Festival, which hosted groups from around the world to celebrate their cultures. Abram Ortiz, a geophysics freshman who plays the vihuela — a regional guitar-like instrument — performed in the festival.
“(The festival) was a great opportunity to showcase everything what we are trying to do here at the mariachi,” Ortiz said. “(It’s) sharing our love of (this) music for the rest of the world to see.”
On top of two-hour rehearsals twice a week, performers practice and memorize material on their own. Ortiz and Caballero said that this requires efficient time management. Additionally, Cavazos said that, of the 40 students that comprise the two ensembles, around only four are music majors.
“Without (performing) music, I tend to focus a lot on school and just (stay) in my room (coding),” Caballero said. “But when I introduce music, it forces me to open up my schedule and arrange my homework to be more organized.”
With approximately 25 shows per semester, Mariachi Paredes plays both on campus and around Austin. Cavazos said these performances include events like South by Southwest.
“Professor Cavazos is definitely taking our program into a really good direction,” Caballero said. “I had not envisioned (this kind of) growth (for) the program. … It’s a very nice sight to see.”
Cavazos said that he is excited for future collaborations and shows that introduce opportunities for Longhorns to experience mariachi in ways not found on other campuses, such as with the Longhorn Band, UT Wind Ensemble and UT choirs.
“The mariachi has been like a second family,” Ortiz said. “There’s a lot of chemistry between the entire group, and I think we’ve grown to adore each other and support each other in our own ways. … It’s been a really big blessing.”
