The mariachi music pouring out of Kimbrough Hall rehearsal rooms isn’t a recording.
It’s one of Washington State University’s newest musical groups, Mariachi Leones del Monte—loosely translated by its members as Cougar Mariachi—practicing on Wednesday evenings.
Many people are familiar with the distinct sound of mariachi: a unique blend of trumpets, violins, and various guitars. Historians believe mariachi originated in Mexico in the eighteenth century. When migrants traveled from Mexico to the United States in the early 1900s to work in the fields, they brought mariachi music.
Today, mariachi music is a staple in agricultural towns throughout central Washington, including Wenatchee, where WSU seniors Natalie Valdez and Daniela Alpire went to high school together. They say it is nearly impossible to attend a birthday party, a wedding, or a graduation without being entertained by a mariachi band. Valdez and Alpire played guitar together in their high school’s mariachi band, where Alpire also sang.
“Practicing and performing mariachi was a big part of our lives,” Alpire says. “When Natalie and I came to WSU, we missed playing music together and the camaraderie associated with being in a mariachi band.”
Alpire and Valdez formed Mariachi Leones del Monte in spring 2023 and interest in the band (also a registered student organization) is proliferating. Its 17 members are invited to perform at celebrations across campus and occasionally play at community events such as Pullman High School’s Multicultural Night.
Through its partnerships with WSU’s College Assistance Migrant Program, the Chicanx Latinx Student Center, the Undocumented Student Center, and the student organization MEChA, the band has been able to purchase instruments and suits, called trajes, making it easier for students to join.
“These things are expensive to buy, and we can provide them at no cost to students,” Valdez says. “And we don’t turn anyone away who wants to play in the band, even if they are just learning to play an instrument.”
That even applied to the band’s advisor and violinist, Darryl Singleton. The assistant professor of Black music, social justice, and jazz percussion in WSU’s School of Music is very familiar with mariachi, having lived in Mexico for an extended time. Still, he did not know how to play the violin when he joined the band.
“My leadership style is to be an active leader, and the students know that whatever I ask them to do, I am willing to do it along with them,” Singleton says. “The band needed another violinist. I’m probably the worst violinist in the group, but it gives me a deeper connection with the students.”
(Courtesy Office of the Provost)
Singleton says mariachi’s many different styles, including the fast-paced polkas, waltzes, and love songs, keep listeners on their toes and entertained.
“What I love about the music is how it describes the love of the land, the people, and national pride in Mexico,” Singleton says. “To me, that’s what sets mariachi apart from other genres.”
Alpire says the songs speak to the traditions and struggles Mexican people have experienced. Yet the band makes sure to leave their audiences feeling good and empowered.
“Being able to project a feeling of joy is one of the biggest aspects of mariachi,” Alpire says. “We try to bring a positive energy to our audiences and encourage them to clap, dance, and sing along if they want to.”
While WSU’s mariachi band provides quality entertainment and gives its members an important connection to their culture, Valdez and Alpire say it also serves as a valuable student recruitment tool, boosting the university’s pursuit of becoming a Hispanic Serving Institution.
Many school districts throughout central Washington have mariachi programs that provide opportunities for students to learn and play mariachi as early as middle school. After devoting so many years to playing mariachi, some students look for opportunities to continue playing after high school.
In April 2024, WSU’s mariachi band invited high school mariachi bands from Othello, East Wenatchee, Pasco, and Grandview to the Pullman campus. The visiting bands spent a day sharing music, touring campus, and learning about WSU’s academic and student support programs.
“We want students to know that WSU is a good option for them,” Valdez says. “They can see their culture is present here and that there are so many things they can get involved in, including our mariachi band.”
Members of the Cougar Mariachi band (Courtesy WSU Video Services)