May Concert with Mariachi!

Our Happy 250^th Birthday USA! concert on May 16 will feature a trio of three extraordinary CES singers, who will bring the heart of mariachi to life through stories rooted in family, memory, and love. We were fortunate to get to sit down and interview them.

What first drew you to singing, and how did your musical journey begin?

Candice: I get asked that a lot. Well, my grandma said I came out singing!

Eduardo: I’ve been singing since a very young age, both at church and in musical theater. Earlier on, I had a music teacher who introduced me to music theory with real passion, and that foundation has stayed with me ever since.

Matt: I come from a family of singers. My father sang rock and roll and rhythm and blues. His brother was a mariachi. My brother sings as well. Music was always around me growing up, even if we didn’t all sing together. I sang when I was young, but didn’t really focus on it until college, when I received a partial scholarship to study musical theater. Honestly, I went into musical theater to become a better public speaker, not because I was chasing a performance career. That changed the first time I landed a principal role. I played Mr. Mrachek in She Loves Me, and something clicked — the rehearsal process, the audience, all of it. I haven’t really looked back since.

When did you first encounter mariachi music, and what made it meaningful to you?

Matt: Mariachi was always present in my life because of my uncle. He performed with Mariachi Vargas de Tecalitlan, one of the most respected mariachi groups in the world. More than that, mariachi is the music of every celebration in my family—weddings, funerals, and everything in between. I didn’t have to go looking for it. It found me at every gathering.

Eduardo: Mariachi has always felt like home. It’s present in life’s biggest moments like birthdays, quinceañeras, and even funerals, so it carries a wide range of emotions and memories.

Candice: When I went to my dad’s Lopez Family Reunion in Globe, Arizona. I was thirteen, and My Tia Rosa sang mariachi music with our cousins from Tucson, Los Hermanos Perez—who are in the Tucson Music Hall of Fame next to Linda Ronstadt. 

Can you share a favorite memory connected to singing in Spanish or performing this style?

Eduardo: At my grandmother’s funeral, the mariachi music brought a sense of comfort during a very difficult goodbye. That moment has stayed with me.

Matt: Growing up, my brother, my father, and I were always asked to sing together at family gatherings, birthdays, funerals, and celebrations of every kind. Whenever there was a mariachi present, the three of us got called on. It is just what we did. Those moments are some of my clearest memories of singing, and they are exactly the tradition I am carrying into this performance.

Candice: I remember being on tour in Oaxaca, Mexico, and singing live with a mariachi band at a local restaurant. 

What emotions or story does this song convey?

Matt: It is a song about the impossibility of letting go of love. The pain of trying to forget someone and not being able to. It is emotionally direct in the way that great mariachi songs tend to be — no ambiguity, just feeling. This particular song is a favorite of my father’s, which makes it meaningful to me in a personal way.

Eduardo: “Amor Eterno” is one of the most iconic songs in the mariachi repertoire. It expresses deep longing for someone you’ve lost, a mix of grief and enduring love that never fades. Listeners should focus on the phrasing and emotional delivery. The power of this piece comes from sincerity more than complexity.

How is singing mariachi different from other styles you’ve performed?

Matt: For me, it isn’t that different. I draw from the same place regardless of the style. I am happy when I sing, so I sing. The genre changes but the source doesn’t.

Eduardo: Mariachi is more direct and emotionally open. Singing mariachi, for me, allows for a deeper and more natural expression of feeling since this genre is very emotional.

Candice: Being Mexican American, it feels like home. 

What are some key elements that define traditional mariachi music? 

Candice: Being an opera singer and classically trained makes singing mariachi easier. But I think it’s in our blood. 

Eduardo: Strong melodies, expressive phrasing, and storytelling at its core, all designed to connect emotionally with the listener.

What role does mariachi play in Mexican culture and celebrations?

Candice: It’s tradition. You serenade the women you love: hire a mariachi band to accompany you. You get married: hire a mariachi. A baby is born baptized: hire a mariachi for the Party. It’s Mother’s Day: hire again. Quinceañera: hire again. Funeral, again. Pretty much every life event. 

Matt: Mariachi is the music of life’s biggest moments. It is there at weddings, at funerals, at birthdays, at holidays. In my family, if something important is happening, mariachi is in the room. It is not background music—it is part of the event itself.

Eduardo: It’s central to both celebration and remembrance, bringing people together across generations and experiences.

What do you hope the audience feels or takes away after your performance?

Candice: Peace, joy, happiness, and wow, that was good!

Eduardo: I hope they feel the emotion of the song and connect with it on a personal level.

Matt: Just a little happiness and an appreciation for the art form. That is enough.

How does this fit into the broader theme of the “Happy 250th Birthday USA” concert?

Eduardo: Mexican music has always been part of America’s history and continues to shape its cultural identity. This piece reflects that shared story.

Matt: It is a recognition of the contribution Mexican culture has made to American music, across Western, country, jazz, and Latin swing. Mariachi is not separate from the American musical story. It is part of it.

Candice: Before Mexico lost in the Mexican American War of 1848, Arizona, California, Texas, and New Mexico were all part of Mexico. 

What will readers gain from seeing the translated text alongside the performance?

Candice: More understanding. Nothing like hearing the original language, but with your language in subtitles.

Eduardo: A deeper emotional connection to the piece through understanding its meaning. Understanding the lyrics transforms the experience from simply hearing the music to truly connecting with the story and emotion behind it.

Are there any details about this song that might surprise our audience?

Eduardo: “Amor Eterno” has become more than a song. It is often associated with honoring loved ones, which gives it a deep, shared cultural resonance. Many emotional nuances don’t translate directly, so preserving the intent of the lyrics is key. We used a translation by Reina Mar, who focuses on capturing cultural meaning rather than translating word for word.

What is it like collaborating as a trio within the larger choir?

Candice: Fun! Matt and Eduardo have fabulous voices and speak more Spanish than I do. 

Eduardo: Performing as a duet is more intimate and requires precision. It’s about trust, listening, and supporting each other closely.

If you could describe this performance in one word or phrase, what would it be?

Candice: Eso! That!

Eduardo: Heartfelt.

Matt: Three minutes for my father.

Tickets available now for our May concert with mariachi—and a whole host of patriotic favorites—as we celebrate our country's 250th anniversary!

Happy 250th Birthday USA!

3pm Saturday, May 16

North Scottsdale United Methodist Church

11735 North Scottsdale Road