The Mariachi Voice

The Mariachi Voice is a practical resource for all educational program directors, voice professors, historians, singers, and students of Mariachi who want to learn and encourage the tradition of Mariachi music in the United States. It explores and dissects the similarities and differences between classical and Mariachi fields regarding voice, while also providing useful classroom-tested lesson plans, voice history, and pedagogy for teaching the Mariachi singer. With this book, program instructors can more easily assist students in connecting safely and more deeply to their voices, share new songs, and introduce Mexican Spanish Lyric Diction --including the application of the International Phonetic Alphabet (IPA)-- to Mariachi with exercises to facilitate diction, song learning, and overall technique while learning the style.An expert in Mariachi scholarship and performance, author Juanita Ulloa further includes interviews with vocal artists of Mariachi music, notably singer Linda Ronstadt and the grandchildren of well-known Mexican singer Jorge Negrete. Her career touring as a professional singer/pianist, voice professor, ethnomusicologist, and educator led her to the creation of the "Operachi" style, a crossover style between classical and Mariachi training.

Table of Contents:
Preface Forewords by Mark Fogelquist, Mariachi Director and Dr. Karen Hall, Professor of Voice & Author of So You Want To Sing Musical Theatre Acknowledgements and Delimitations Chapter 1: Mariachi Song: Introduction Introduction-What is Mariachi Singing? Growth of Mariachi in the United States and Mexico Understanding Terms: Ranchera, Mariache, Mariachi, Música Regional Mexicana and Mexican Song Historical Challenges in Defining Mexican Song Lessons Chapter 2: History: Mariachi Singers and their Songs Ranchera Rural Folk Origins Vocal Roots and Early Twentieth Century Rancheras Mexico's Golden Age of Cinema, Singers, and Songs Manuel M. Ponce "The Father of Mexican Song" Solo Ranchera Singers become celebrities through Media Expansion Crossover singing: Jorge Negrete and Operas rancheras Mexico's Premiere Voice Teacher: Maestro José Pierson The Bolero in Mexico- History, Singers, and Composers Ranchera Singing Style Singer/Songwriter: José Alfredo Jiménez: Third Period in Mariachi History Female Ranchera Singers and Composers Bravío Ranchera Singing-Lucha Reyes Vocal Conditions for Female Ranchera Singers Key Dates in Ranchera Vocal History Lessons Chapter 3: Mariachi Voice Pedagogy I. Voice Production and Vocal Care A Visual Starting Place for Vocalists Understanding Your Vocal Instrument by John Nix A Voice Lesson: Alignment, Breath, and Vowel Voice Teacher or Voice Coach-What's the Difference? Female Mariachi Fach Falsete: To Bridge or to Break What is Falsete? Can Anyone Sing Falsete? Where Does Falsete Come From? How do I Learn Falsete or Have My Voice Teacher Help Me? What is Belt Voice? Handling Vocal Fatigue and Developing Mindfulness Mariachi Directors Provide Voice Leadership Similarities between Mariachi and Classical Vocal Production Differences between Mariachi and Classical Vocal Production Lessons II. Warm-ups, Vocalises and Practicing Wake up Warm-ups Vocalises: Mariachi Song Excerpts Practicing Getting Started-Rest in Action! Advanced Growth in Practicing III. Find the Right Key for Your Song Lessons Chapter 4: Preparing to be a Mariachi Singer The Voice is the Instrument Everybody Shares Group Singers, Ensemble Soloist, Mariachi Soloist: Where Do You Fit in? Costumes, Make-up, and Singing With a Microphone Chapter 5: Mariachi Rhythms and Choosing Song Repertoire Overview of Mariachi Rhythmic Styles Why Good Singers Listen to Rhythm Rhythm Exercises and Learning Songs Six Basic Rhythms Choosing Mariachi Voice Repertoire Graded Song Lists: Beginning, Young Beginners, Intermediate, Advanced Vocal Levels Lessons Chapter 6: Songs, Diction, Lyrics, IPA, and Translations I. Diction, Lessons, and How to Memorize Lyrics Introduction to Mexican Spanish Lyric Diction Important Mariachi Words with International Phonetic Alphabet (IPA)-Lessons 1-5 Memorizing Lyrics Lessons: Song Studies; History, Lyrics and Translations, Guide; Acting, Performing Artist, and Composer Studies II. 20 Ranchera Songs with Translations and IPA Chapter 7: Mariachi Music Fundamentals Sheet Music in Mariachi's Urban Period Ranchera Composers and Arrangers use Sheet Music: Manuel Esperón, Ruben Fuentes, Mariachi Vargas, Jorge Negrete Music Fundamentals in Schools Bilingual Theory and Solfege Versus Letter Note Reading Bilingual Music Fundamentals Meter and Rhythmic Note Values Transcription of Melodies and Rhythms Three Basic Chords Popular Mariachi Keys Finding a Singer's Best Key Tempo Terms in Spanish, Italian and English Chapter 8: Four Mariachi Artist Interviews on the Voice Linda Ronstadt: Mexican-American Multi-Grammy Winner in Mariachi and Queen of Contemporary Crossover Singing. She has twelve Grammys in diverse vocal styles, Academy of Country Music Awards, The Recording Academy's Lifetime Achievement Award in 2016, Emmy Award, Tony, and Emmy nominations, "The Sound of my Voice" documentary, Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, and recipient of a Kennedy Center Honor. Jorge Negrete: An Interview With Rafael Jorge Negrete and Diana Irene Negrete, Two Singers who happen to also be Grandchildren of Legendary Ranchera Singer from the Golden Age of Cinema, Singers, and songs, Mr. Jorge Negrete, El charro cantor. Flor de Toloache: 2017 Latin Grammy-Winning Quartet who Fuse Mariachi With Contemporary Soul, Blues, and Caribbean Rhythms From Their New York City Base. Raul Cuellar: Traditional Mexican-American Singer and Violinist from San Antonio, Texas. Performer with Camperos de Nati Cano Mariachi. Resources Glossary Bibliography Index

About the Author :
Dr. Juanita Ulloa is an international Operachi singer/pianist/songwriter, linguist, and author who champions under-represented vocal works from Mexico, Spain, and Latin America as well as women composers. She pioneers the inclusion of mariachi, folklore, and commercial song into academia alongside classical singing and teaches voice at San Joaquin Delta and Laney Community Colleges, with a national private voice studio training crossover singers, including mariachi. She offers master classes, concerts, and workshops at universities in Mexico, United States, and beyond.

Review :
Juanita Ulloa's The Mariachi Voice is a welcome addition and first of its kind for both vocal scholarship and the exploration of Mariachi identity. Mariachi-the most prominent Mexican vocal genre-has until now lacked the highly analytical studies of vocal pedagogy that other disciplines have enjoyed. In addition to the invaluable vocal pedagogy, the book also provides a historical context that is remarkable in both its breadth and depth, as well as interviews with famous performers, diction exercises, and practical songs. The Mariachi Voice is a fully-rounded, must-have resource for singers, teachers, ensemble directors, and students at all levels who wish to perfect their craft. Finally! An essential and comprehensive resource for any voice teacher or ensemble director wanting to provide culturally informed teaching that empowers students' unique voices and uplifts this heritage of song in an ever-more diverse educational landscape. In this book, Dr. Ulloa, a champion of mariachi, provides teachers of soloists and ensembles a framework for developing voices through authentic performance of mariachi. Interviews with successful singers inspire as well as inform, leaving one inspired to further explore the wealth of mariachi repertoire available. Dr. Ulloa's book offers a very detailed investigation of what the vocal emission of the mariachi singer should be, along with the origins and history of ranchera song. It's an invaluable guide for understanding how to sing with emotion and expressiveness through good technique. It is the first book, if not the only one, that deals in depth and with concrete tools for singing, teaching, and truly appreciating the all-important genre of Mariachi.