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8 Summer 2025 • sai-national.org Natial Cvention Music Education By Sue Jehl W hile working at the Conn Selmer Institute in 2019, Colleen Phillips met several mariachi teachers in her track. "I caught the bug!" she said. "An art form that combines band, orchestra, and choir—count me in!" Colleen is the Orchestra and Assistant Band Director at Memorial Park Middle School and a supporting member of the Fort Wayne Alumnae Chapter. is is her 20th year of teaching music in the Fort Wayne Community Schools. Her program is the only student mariachi group in Fort Wayne, and is currently the only group in Indiana. ey play for both school and community events. "I love that we're bringing a [different] culture to the school," said Phillips's student, Samarah Hughes. Parent Carlos Nino Morales said, "We always have a great time attending the mariachi events and seeing the amount of effort that all the students place to perform the best possible. It's simply something to admire." e following is a conversation with Colleen Phillips about her mariachi band. What reaction did you get from the What reaction did you get from the students, parents, and administration students, parents, and administration when you first introduced the idea? when you first introduced the idea? ankfully, the idea was met with interest and an attitude of "How can we make this work?" I put a call-out on announcements asking anyone who was interested to stay aer school for a meeting, and we went from there. e program has grown from six students to over thirty in just a few years. What challenges did you face getting What challenges did you face getting the program started? the program started? One of the biggest challenges has always been scheduling. Students are busy with many activities, and it's always a challenge to find a time that works for the students as well as the director. We are currently meeting on Mondays. e program has done so well that students now make this a priority. How is your mariachi band different How is your mariachi band different from a school concert band? What from a school concert band? What makes it sound unique? makes it sound unique? Mariachi can be different in many ways. In middle school, it's uncommon to have a lot of ensembles that bring together strings, band, and singing. I love that about mariachi. ere are also very few opportunities for guitar players in the traditional music programs like there are in mariachi music. We strive to celebrate Mexican culture and to have a place where students can rejoice, and oen they become the teachers. I may teach the notes, but they oen help me with the pronunciation! Do you use any specialized Do you use any specialized instruments in your band, and if so, instruments in your band, and if so, what are they? what are they? Mariachi uses violins and trumpets to play the melodica. Instruments such as guitars, viheulas, and guitarrons make up the armonia, or harmony chords. e viheulas are a Mexican string instrument with five strings. It is similar to a guitar but has a deep back, nylon strings, and "dips" like a ukulele. e guitarron is the Mexican bass with six strings. It is big-backed and about the size of Creang Music, Gaining Cultural Insight Through Mariachi Music Colleen Phillips Colleen Phillips playing mariachi playing mariachi

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