Mariachi bands are a big part of the Christmas season in Mexican culture, and are a musical gift to the rest of the world.
Southwestern College in Chula Vista was the first to offer training and a degree in mariachi music.
Jeff Nevin developed the curriculum for the mariachi specialization and is the founder and conductor of Southwestern’s group Mariachi Garibaldi.
He has also performed internationally as conductor, trumpeter, and leader of Mariachi Champaña which has produced five studio albums.
The group will be featured with other artists on Thursday, Dec. 22 in a special holiday concert: Las posadas — A Traditional Mexican Christmas Eve Celebration, 7:30 p.m. at the Balboa Theater in downtown San Diego.
The event is a fundraiser for the Mariachi Scholarship Foundation.
Nevin joined Midday Edition, Wednesday, to talk more about the Mariachi music of the holiday season.
