Weekend Passport: Mariachi Music Passes Down Through Generations

By Jinghong Chen, Jerome McDonnell
A skylight illuminates the atrium rotunda which connects the three new or converted buildings of the Symphony Center complex in Chicago on Wednesday, Oct. 1, 1997.
A skylight illuminates the atrium rotunda which connects the three new or converted buildings of the Symphony Center complex in Chicago on Wednesday, Oct. 1, 1997. AP Photo/Michael S. Green
A skylight illuminates the atrium rotunda which connects the three new or converted buildings of the Symphony Center complex in Chicago on Wednesday, Oct. 1, 1997.
A skylight illuminates the atrium rotunda which connects the three new or converted buildings of the Symphony Center complex in Chicago on Wednesday, Oct. 1, 1997. AP Photo/Michael S. Green

Weekend Passport: Mariachi Music Passes Down Through Generations

By Jinghong Chen, Jerome McDonnell
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Audio available later today.

The Chicago Symphony Orchestra welcomes Mariachi Vargas de Tecalitlán this weekend, known as the “Greatest Mariachi in the World.” 

This year’s performance features a special pre-concert by students from the Chicago Mariachi Project’s Mariachi Academy. The collaboration offers Mariachi music education to students from 8 through 18 years old from five public schools. 

Alvaro Obregon, founder of Chicago Mariachi Project and board member on the Negaunee Institute at the Chicago Symphony Orchestra,  joins us to discuss the music and youth engagement. 

Global citizen Nari Safavi will also clue us into more global events to check out this weekend.