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Charros y Clásicos

Charros y Clásicos

Miguel J. Gutierrez & Joel L. Ozuna 21 Episodes Aug 10, 2026

Charros y Clásicos is a conversation podcast hosted by Joel Lee Ozuna and Miguel Javier Gutierrez about culture, identity, and sound. It explores mariachi and classical music not only as genres but as lived experiences that shape people. Episodes draw on local school practice rooms, family stories, and the Rio Grande Valley roots of the show. The podcast considers how music bridges tradition and transformation and invites listeners to reflect, laugh, and reconnect with the sounds that define their roots and dreams.

Episodes

What If Mariachi Had Equal Access? with Alex Trevino II
What If Mariachi Had Equal Access? with Alex Trevino II Aug 10, 2026 2625 Note: This conversation was recorded in late March 2026, so a few references (like upcoming events) may have already taken place by the time you're listening.A tire explodes five minutes before a high-stakes interview and our guest still walks in ready to teach. That moment becomes a hinge point in Alex’s story, moving from an unstable stretch after professional performing to building a new l
Bridging Cultures Through Music with Mirelle Acuña
Bridging Cultures Through Music with Mirelle Acuña Jun 7, 2025 2083 A groundbreaking musical movement is taking shape in South Texas, and Mirelle Acuña stands at its center. In this enlightening conversation, the co-founder of the RGV International Mariachi Conference shares her vision for transforming mariachi education across the region and beyond."We've seen exponential growth in mariachi education here in South Texas," Mirelle explains, highligh
Carlos Peralez: Musical Heart, Engineering Mind
Carlos Peralez: Musical Heart, Engineering Mind May 31, 2025 2112 Carlos Peralez sits down with Charros y Clásicos to share a remarkable journey that spans nearly five decades of balancing professional engineering with passionate musicianship. With violin in hand since age 10, Carlos takes us through his evolution from a kid who joined orchestra just to skip class to a dedicated performer with over 40 years in the Valley Symphony Orchestra."I think I needed
From Student to Maestro: The Journey of Moises Llanes
From Student to Maestro: The Journey of Moises Llanes May 25, 2025 2914 When classical music plays in a baby's nursery, does it really make a difference? For Moises Llanes, those early moments with Beethoven and Brahms symphonies resonating through his crib shaped a lifelong passion that would transform orchestral education in the Rio Grande Valley.This captivating conversation reveals how a businessman father with an eighth-grade education made a pivotal decisio
Nathan Fernández: A Life-Changing Opportunity from José Hernández
Nathan Fernández: A Life-Changing Opportunity from José Hernández Apr 30, 2025 3035 Meet Nathan Fernandez, a remarkable talent whose musical journey bridges two worlds – the rich mariachi traditions of his family and the prestigious international stage of Mariachi Sol de México de José Hernández.In this deeply personal conversation, Nathan reveals his childhood experiences standing beside his father at performances from the tender age of four, toy violin in hand, trying to mimic
Mentorship, Music, and Mariachi Education: The Eloy Garza Story
Mentorship, Music, and Mariachi Education: The Eloy Garza Story Apr 13, 2025 3901 The path to musical excellence rarely follows a straight line. For Eloy Garza, director of Roma High School's celebrated mariachi program, that journey weaves through personal struggles, unexpected opportunities, and the profound impact of mentorship that transformed a shy trumpet player into an award-winning educator.Growing up in a household filled with music, Garza was surrounded by family
From Performer to Educator – The Clyde Guerra Story
From Performer to Educator – The Clyde Guerra Story Apr 5, 2025 2544 Clyde Guerra never planned to become an award-winning mariachi director. His early musical journey began at age nine with a guitar class called "Las Guitarritas," leading to his first vocal competition win at a local livestock show. Surrounded by the sounds of Linda Ronstadt and Vicente Fernández in his grandmother's home, young Clyde was steered toward violin by a prescient voice t
Classroom to Community: Karina Vela on Music with Purpose
Classroom to Community: Karina Vela on Music with Purpose Mar 29, 2025 2606 The pathway to passion often begins with reluctance. In this heartfelt conversation, acclaimed musician and educator Karina Vela reveals how being forced to take guitar lessons instead of joining the basketball team as a child in Matamoros, Mexico, planted the seeds for a transformative musical journey."I was forced into music, not pushed," Vela laughs, recounting the maternal decision t
Armonía in Action: Avigái Gonzalez and Mariachi Education
Armonía in Action: Avigái Gonzalez and Mariachi Education Apr 17, 2024 2458 The cultural disconnect in the Rio Grande Valley has long been a fascinating paradox: Brownsville celebrates its Mexican heritage with festivals like Charro Days, yet for years lacked the educational infrastructure to nurture mariachi musicians – until Abigail Gonzalez arrived with a vision to change everything.Abigail's remarkable journey begins in La Joya, Texas, where she grew up surrounde
Echos of Tradition with Alex Treviño II
Echos of Tradition with Alex Treviño II Feb 16, 2024 3033 Alex Treviño II's journey from a small-town violinist to performing with the Grammy-winning Mariachi Los Camperos represents the beautiful intersection of family legacy, personal determination, and cultural heritage. In a recent conversation, Alex shared insights into his remarkable path that began long before he was born – with his parents meeting in their high school mariachi class.Unlike m
Full Circle with Alex Treviño
Full Circle with Alex Treviño Jun 28, 2023 3291 Alex Treviño's first encounter with mariachi wasn't love at first sight—it was a reluctant step taken at his mother's insistence during his sophomore year of high school. Today, as the head mariachi director at McAllen High School and a performer with Grammy-nominated Mariachi Los Arreros del Valle, he laughs about that initial resistance. "I didn't want to join," he
An Inspirational Tale of a Mariposa with Mayra Garcia-Adame
An Inspirational Tale of a Mariposa with Mayra Garcia-Adame Mar 18, 2023 2466 In this episode of Charros Y Clasicos, a Bosky Strings Podcast, hosts Miguel and Joel interview Mayra Garcia-Adame, a renowned mariachi director at Mariachi Los Lobos de Palmview High School and founder of Mariachi Mariposa, an award winning all-female mariachi. Mayra shares her inspiring story of overcoming adversity and becoming an influential leader in the mariachi world. She discusses her upbr

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