Cesar Maldonado

Mariachi Herencia de Mexico looks forward to returning to Overture stage

Mariachi Herencia de Mexico is a four-year-old ensemble that started in Chicago Public Schools and, to this day, is still composed of mostly Mexican-American musicians between the ages of 14-18. The group’s debut album of traditional Mexican music, “Nuestra Herencia” (Our Heritage), released in May 2017, was nominated for a Grammy award, giving the group prominence across the nation. Mariachi Herencia de Mexico now tours across the US and Mexico and released its fourth album in June 2020.

“Performing around the country, going to Las Vegas and LA and walking on the red carpet—these are life changing and transformative moments for these young musicians from Chicago,” said Cesar Maldonado, president of Mariachi Heritage Foundation. “These experiences inspire them to push further and strive to be the best in the world.”

The group performed for the first time at Overture Center in October 2019.

“Overture’s staff is so welcoming and helpful, true partners in making the best performance possible,” said Maldonado. “Overture is a beautiful venue, one of the best we’ve performed at.”

Mariachi Herencia loves performing for school groups. Their mission is to preserve traditional Mexican music for future generations, and since it’s not played on the radio anymore, school-age shows are a valuable opportunity to share the music with young audiences, a new generation. Plus, connecting with other kids is always important and very inspiring to the young musicians.

“We held a Meet & Greet with Overture patrons, took pictures and signed autographs,” said Maldonado, describing Mariachi Herencia’s appearance at the Latino Art Fair. “We use events like this as a platform to educate audiences about the style, history and evolution of our genre and to share the traditions and culture of mariachi. It’s a chance to interact on a more intimate level so people walk away with a fuller appreciation for our music.”

Seeing Mariachi Herencia de Mexico at Overture Center is an opportunity to see what youth are doing not too far away in Chicago and what they offer as a talented group of young musicians. Maldonado describes a mariachi performance as a unique opportunity to learn about mariachi, and for those of Latino heritage, it’s a chance to reconnect with the music of their culture, to go back in time to Mexico.

“We have been blessed to perform in many different venues across the country and in other countries, and Overture stands apart—not only as a beautiful venue with great production value and an amazing, helpful team, but because Madison is such a welcoming community. To be able to connect with the community through our show is an amazing opportunity,” said Maldonado.

Mariachi Herencia de Mexico was scheduled to perform on Saturday, Oct. 10. The show is being rescheduled for 2021.