Music played from the heart
Christine Carrillo
Rosa Torres Soto of Santa Ana sat patiently for 15 minutes in the
middle of the shaded bleachers of the Grandstand Arena waiting to
hear the live mariachi music and see the beautiful folklorico dancers
performing as part of the Orange County Fair’s MariachiFest.
The 63-year-old woman attended the fair for the first time Sunday,
wanting to spend some quality time with her family.
And selfishly, she admits, wanting to hear some ‘’good music.’’
‘’I’m tired of my granddaughters and grandsons listening to music
without any heart,’’ she said. ‘’I was brought up on [mariachi
music]. It’s part of who I am and I want them to know it, too.’’
With shouts from the stands at the beginning of almost every song,
the predominately Latino audience sang along to their favorites and
even danced in the aisles to some of the more familiar tunes.
‘’I’ve always loved to dance folklorico,’’ said Ysabela Guerrero,
14, of Riverside, who attended the fair with a group of family and
friends. ‘’I’m not good enough to dance on stage, but I can dance
here.’’
Folklorico dancers at this year’s fair varied in age just as did
the mariachi musicians. And, in both cases, the younger performers
stole the show.
‘’I love the little kids,’’ Soto said. ‘’It’s good to see them
carrying on the tradition.’’
Seeing the tradition being passed from one generation to another
through mariachi music has proven to Raymundo M. Orozco, a trumpeter
and leader of the nine-piece group Mariachi Perla Tapatia, that
mariachi music will never go out of style.
And for Orozco, it’s been a love he’s managed to live out.
‘’It was basically a hobby and then it became a profession,’’ he
said. ‘’I love the music and the performing.’’
Being in front of an enthusiastic audience keeps many of the
performers motivated to give it their all.
‘’I like being in front of a lot of people,’’ said 11-year-old
Julian Gonzales, a dancer for Dance Academy Ballet Folklorico de
Carolina of West Covina and a violinist for Mariachi Heritage. ‘’And
I like the different places that we go.’’
A few of the benefits for audience members are waking up memories
through the traditional music and dance.
‘’I don’t get to go out and hear concerts much,’’ Soto said.
‘’It’s nice being here and feeling at home even though the seats
aren’t very comfortable.’’
* Christine Carrillo is the news assistant. She may be reached at
(949) 574-4298 or by e-mail at christine.carrillo@latimes.com.
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