EL PASO, Texas (KTSM) – Los Gatos Salvajes are heading to the Texas Mariachi Festival to compete at the 2023 UIL State Mariachi Festival in Seguin Texas on Feb. 24 and Feb. 25.
Mariachi Director Natalie Carrasco is very proud to see the group come so far in such a short amount of time.
“They’re going to get to see other groups from surrounding parts of Texas. And just to grow more as friends as a family as an ensemble. To have those memories that they are hopefully take with them for longer than their High School duration,” said Carrasco.
Carrasco tells KTSM the band has performed together for less than six months and is determined to give it all they got.
“A lot of these kids are in band, there in track, they’ve been to competition but never Mariachi related.” said Carrasco.
Although the band members are high school kids, they have excellent reasons as to why they joined.
“My father because he was the one who introduced me Vicente back then and I really liked his music. Then my mom which also made me join them because they’re a big fan of Mariachi music,” said Jesse Ortiz Trumpet player Member of Los Gatos Salvajes.
While some students never imagined themselves playing mariachi.
“I actually joined recently because I had a few friends, who introduced me to the genre. I really like the music and it’s really fun to play and I have a lot of fun with it,” said senior and flutist player Michael Dettman.
Fabens High school, Los Gatos Salvajes have already earned a Division One at the West Texas UIL Region Mariachi Contest at Eastwood High School last Thursday.
Carrasco says students who have what it takes to play mariachi, they welcome anyone to join Los Gatos Salvajes. Click here for their Fabens Independent School District Facebook page.
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