The Master - Apprentice program preserves not only mariachi, but women in mariachi.

AZPM | By Mark McLemore

Published May 7, 2025 at 1:04 PM MST

Andrea gallegos hero — Andrea Gallegos, one of the first female mariachi director in the Southwest.

gallegos violin hero — Andrea Gallegos plays the violin during a Mariachi Sonido de México practice at Roskruge Bilingual K-8 Magnet School in Tucson, Ariz., Tuesday, Jan. 28, 2025. Gallegos has directed the group since 2005.

The Master - Apprentice program preserves not only mariachi, but women in mariachi.

Featured on the May 8th, 2025 edition of ARIZONA SPOTLIGHT with host Mark McLemore:

Explore how the Master-Apprentice program offered by the Southwest Folklife Alliance is preserving not just mariachi music, but the involvement of women in mariachi. The program pairs a promising newcomer with a music director who has more than 30 years of experience in the art.

singing practice hero — Emilia Zepeda, Clarissa Salinas and Samyra Castillo speak during a Mariachi Sonido de México practice at Roskruge Bilingual K-8 Magnet School in Tucson, Ariz., Tuesday, Jan. 28, 2025. Zepeda is the group's vocalist and violinist. Captions Carly Siegel.

guitarron playing hero — Andrea Palacio plays the guitarrón at a Mariachi Sonido de México practice at Roskruge Bilingual K-8 Magnet School in Tucson, Ariz., Tuesday, Jan. 28, 2025. Palacio joined the group to perform at the “Mariachi and Foloricio Festival”, an all-female performance celebrating International Women's Day.

blue bayou song — Members of Mariachi Sonido de México rehearse “Blue Bayou” at Roskruge Bilingual K-8 Magnet School in Tucson, Ariz., Tuesday, Jan. 28, 2025. The band performs rancheros, corridos, huapangos, and more.

Nature writer Rebekah Doyle offers a celebration of the annual arrival of the migrating elegant trogon to Madera Canyon, and explains why this small bird is one of the most eagerly sought-after subjects to bird watchers from around the world.

birds of arizona trogon hero 1 — A male Elegant Trogon, as featured in Richard Cachor Taylor's 2022 book "Birds of Arizona".

bellatrix prime character hero — The central character from "Homestead on Bellatrix Prime" by James Mustard.

belltrix homestead hero — The main character's house in the story "Homestead on Bellatrix Prime" by James Mustard.

courtesy of Rebekah Doyle

Nature writer, Rebekah Doyle.

Cyclovia Tucson, an annual event presented by Living Streets Alliance, invites people to walk, bike, roll, connect, and play on car-free and care-free streets. The 2025 event was held at the beginning of April on Treat Avenue Bicycle Boulevard. In a new edition of “A Book I Love,” visitors to this year’s Cyclovia Tucson share about books that mean a lot to them.

charlottes web unsized — "Charlotte's Web" by E.B. White.

we're all wonders unsized — "We're All Wonders" by R.J. Palacio.

mo Willems pigeon unsized — "Don't Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus!" by Mo Willems.

all the light unsized — "All the Light We Cannot See" by Anthony Doerr.

long way down unsized — "Long Way Down" by Jason Reynolds.

Harry Potter goblet unsized — "Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire" by J.K. Rowling.

The return of “Sound Fiction” gives writer James Mustard from Hereford, Arizona a chance to share a short piece of science fiction called,"Homestead on Bellatrix Prime", asking the question, “if progress can be made, where do we draw the line?”

gorgon birds hero — The gorgon birds from the story "Homestead on Bellatrix Prime" by James Mustard.

James mustard hero — Writer James Mustard in the AZPM radio studio.

Arizona Spotlight airs every Thursday at 8:30 am and 6:00 pm and every Friday at 8:00 pm on NPR 89.1 FM / 1550 AM. You can subscribe to our podcast on Apple Music, Spotify, Amazon Music, or the NPR App. See more from Arizona Spotlight.

Webpage by Sophia Hammer.

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The Master - Apprentice program preserves not only mariachi, but women in mariachi.