Beneath glowing string lights and colorful papel picado flags, members of Santa Clara University and the surrounding community gathered for the University’s fourth annual Camino de los Muertos. The sounds of mariachi music filled the courtyard as attendees danced, sang along, and celebrated Día de los Muertos, honoring the lives and memories of loved ones who have passed away.
Among the mariachi performers was violinist Chelsea Alcazar ’30, a first-year biology student who performs with Mariachi México de Gilroy, a youth mariachi group made up of high school and college students from throughout the region. During the celebration, the group played traditional mariachi songs, including “El Rey” and “Volver, Volver,” and performed during the Mass.
“It was a really peaceful feeling to be able to use music to also celebrate the Mass,” says Alcazar. “The entire event brought together people from so many different cultural backgrounds. It was nice to see people appreciating the musical aspect of Mexican culture.”
For Alcazar, the performance was an opportunity to share a musical tradition she has carried with her since learning violin as a child. After moving to San Jose from Michoacán, Mexico at the age of 10, she joined an after-school music academy where she made friends who shared her passion for music and maintained connections to her Mexican roots.
It was there that Alcazar met Manuel Caratachea, a music teacher who brought together a select group of students from the academy to form Mariachi México de Gilroy in 2019. She joined the group and has been performing with them ever since, playing violin and singing at local events and celebrations.
“I’m always determined to keep practicing so I can get better at violin. It’s a complicated instrument, but I really enjoy putting myself to the test and trying out different rhythms until I master them,” Alcazar says.
Through mariachi, she has found a way to share her culture and bring people together through music. At Camino de los Muertos, she watched these connections form in real time as attendees gathered around the group and sang along.
“Seeing the joy in people as they enjoyed our music, even as it was getting dark outside was a highlight for me,” Alcazar says. “It felt rewarding to watch everyone dancing, requesting songs, and really engaging with what we were playing.”
