Project CommUNITY is an ongoing initiative across Hearst Television to put a spotlight on diverse voices in our communities. The initiative is built around regular coverage of people who are working to make a difference and stories detailing the history of the battle for civil rights, inclusion and social change across America.On May 24, 2022, 19 children and two teachers were shot and killed by a gunman at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, Texas. In just one day, an entire community was left devastated. In the days following the mass shooting, memorials were set up at the school and the town square. People from near and far traveled to the sites to mourn. Some wrote cards, some lit candles, and others — brought music. Anthony Medrano, a professional mariachi musician with Mariachi Campanas de America, organized a bus full of musicians from San Antonio, Texas, to play songs for the grieving community. "Many of us are educators," Medrano, who's been playing mariachi music for close to 40 years, said. "We teach the children that look like the ones that were killed, and speak like the ones that were killed, and whose parents talk like the ones that were killed." Performing in UvaldeMedrano said his friend, artist Cruz Ortiz, went to Uvalde shortly after the shooting to process the tragedy. On his way back, Ortiz called Medrano asking if they could play mariachi music – anything to help comfort the heartbroken community. With the help of a friend, Medrano secured a charter bus fit for 50 people. The bus was filled within hours. Medrano instantly felt the weight of the devastation once he arrived at the town square's memorial site.He saw 21 crosses, each etched with the names of the victims. The crosses were piled high with flowers, cards and toys."I have a five-year-old goddaughter that I spend a lot of time with," Medrano said. "And the toys that I saw at these memorials of these murdered children were the same toys that she has in her toy box." Medrano said he broke down in front of a cross. "I cried, I prayed, and I apologized," Medrano said. "I apologized to that soul for not being the answer to this problem. The problem of someone getting an assault weapon and going into the school and murdering children." Medrano and the group of mariachi musicians played a few songs to the community, such as "Amore Eterno," which talks about love and loss, and "Las Golondrinas," a traditional song of farewell. "These songs aren't your everything's gonna be okay songs," Medrano said. "The lyrics to the songs express the true tragedy. I mean, they don't put a bandaid on it, they kind of rip the scab off so you can get that emotion, so you can expose it." Seven-year-old Mariachi performer Matteo Lopez also sang a song called "México Lindo y Querido," which Medrano said was appropriate because the community in Uvalde predominantly has roots in Mexico. "This was a time to play the music that our culture and our community can relate to," Medrano said. In mariachi culture, musicians yell out "gritos," which is a scream or yell during a song. It can be used in celebration but also can express a guttural cry out loud during songs of grief and loss. "That's the way we process, we have to cry out loud," Medrano said. At the end of the performance, Medrano said the community thanked the group of musicians and understood why they performed. "There was very much a healing session right there in front of the memorials," Medrano said. 'The Song of the People': The history of mariachi music Mariachi music has deep roots in Mexican history. According to the Smithsonian Institute, the music's oldest rhythms date back to Mexico's colonial times (around 1519-1810) when people from Spain and African slaves and their descendants mixed with hundreds of American Indian cultures to create a new Mexican culture that varied depending on the vast region. The music was referred to as "mariachi" around the 1850s. The bands consist of trumpets, violins, a vihuela (five-string guitar), a guitarrón (six-string guitar) and sometimes a harp. Mariachi musicians wear beautiful suits known as los trajes de charros. In its earliest days, mariachi bands started simple with two violins, a harp and a guitar instrument known as the vihuela. In the beginning, mariachi music was localized and known as "the song of the people," Medrano said. Songs were handed down from generation to generation. The first songs of mariachi music, known as "Sones," imitated life and nature. For example, a song called "El Relámpago," meaning lightning, has quick and sharp notes that imitate the sound of thunder in a storm. Some of the first songs also imitated animals, such as birds and donkeys. The songs would always be lively and rhythmic, lending itself to dancing. Mariachi music evolved through the years into more ballads and the music changed depending on the region in Mexico, such as the huapangos style of music. Medrano said musician Rubén Fuentes started refining mariachi music with the band Mariachi Vargas de Tecalitlán during the era. The music became more orchestral, Medrano said. "There was a beautiful mix of the music," Medrano said. "The songwriting, the arranging and just the persona of Mexico, like Jorge Negrete, you know, very classic star, Lucha Villa, Lucha Reyes, Lola Beltrán, all this was a beautiful mixture that came together to create what we do today." It's tradition for mariachi's to perform for every occasion in life – including funerals, as a way to celebrate life and heal those who are grieving. "You see mariachis perform at festivals and fiestas, and it's all confetti and piñatas and having a good time," Medrano said. "But the other side of that is that we also are there for families and for loved ones, individuals who don't know how to process a tragedy, and we're asked to come and give comfort through music."Medrano said performing at funerals is a humbling role."But we understand as a mariachi culture, that's part of what we do. We make you smile, and we try to hug your heart when you need it."Helping Heal: What is music therapy? Just as the mariachi musicians helped provide healing in Uvalde, music has been used as a form of therapy for a long time.Robert Krout, professor emeritus of music therapy at Southern Methodist University, has been involved with music therapy and grief work for decades. In a mass casualty event, those impacted are dealing with shock, grief, anger and other raw emotions all at the same time. This can make it overwhelming for people to talk out loud about what happened – which is where music can help express how they're feeling when words cannot.Krout said music is processed by the entire brain – from cortical levels of being familiar with a song and linking it to a specific past event, to influencing our heartbeat by matching the beat to the song. In music therapy, there is a neurological process called entrainment, where the brain and other rhythms in the body (such as heartbeat and pulse) match an external stimulus. For example, people exercise while listening to upbeat music, because they will naturally run to the beat of the song.In music therapy, there is a client (the person being helped), the therapist (a professionally trained clinician), the music, and the music experience. The music used in therapy can be active: playing a composed piece, improvising while playing, or moving to the music. The music can also be passive: listening and responding to the music. Music therapists look at the client's needs, why they were referred to the therapist, their musical background and what aspect of music might benefit the client. Ultimately, music is used to help the client realize their own goals. Krout said his clients, who are experiencing grief, frequently have relationships with certain songs – whether it be special to them or special to their lost loved one. Playing familiar songs can be a good start to therapy, as the lyrics can be discussed and reflected upon. Krout also said songwriting is therapeutic – whether having the client write a song to commemorate the loved one who died or having a gravely ill client write a song to express their wishes to their loved one as a keepsake for when they die. 'We don't want this to be repeated' After the trip to Uvalde, Medrano and his friends wanted to commemorate the victims. "We didn't want anybody to forget what happened," Medrano said. So, they made a corrido, which is a written report in song lyrics of what happened.They named it "El Corrido de Los Angeles de Uvalde." Medrano said the lyrics do not sugarcoat the tragic details of the shooting."It talks about the 90 minutes that they were waiting for help, that they were calling 9-1-1," Medrano said. "Nobody rushed in to save them, to save some at least. It talked about the assault weapon. We talked about the hurt, talked about the families fighting to try to get inside to save their own children by they were held back." Listen to the full version of El Corrido de Los Angeles de Uvalde in the player below. Medrano said he hopes the song will bring awareness and, hopefully, policy change to prevent more tragic mass shootings."We don't want anybody to forget this part of the history because we don't want this to be repeated," Medrano said. "And if we can remember it and recall it and report it, even through music, that maybe we can make a change."This video is the third of a four-part series by Clarified featured during Hispanic Heritage Month to educate viewers on the contributions, experiences and heroes of the Hispanic community.
Project CommUNITY is an ongoing initiative across Hearst Television to put a spotlight on diverse voices in our communities. The initiative is built around regular coverage of people who are working to make a difference and stories detailing the history of the battle for civil rights, inclusion and social change across America.
On May 24, 2022, 19 children and two teachers were shot and killed by a gunman at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, Texas.
In just one day, an entire community was left devastated.
In the days following the mass shooting, memorials were set up at the school and the town square.
People from near and far traveled to the sites to mourn. Some wrote cards, some lit candles, and others — brought music.
Anthony Medrano, a professional mariachi musician with Mariachi Campanas de America, organized a bus full of musicians from San Antonio, Texas, to play songs for the grieving community.
"Many of us are educators," Medrano, who's been playing mariachi music for close to 40 years, said. "We teach the children that look like the ones that were killed, and speak like the ones that were killed, and whose parents talk like the ones that were killed."
Performing in Uvalde
Medrano said his friend, artist Cruz Ortiz, went to Uvalde shortly after the shooting to process the tragedy. On his way back, Ortiz called Medrano asking if they could play mariachi music – anything to help comfort the heartbroken community.
With the help of a friend, Medrano secured a charter bus fit for 50 people. The bus was filled within hours.
Medrano instantly felt the weight of the devastation once he arrived at the town square's memorial site.
He saw 21 crosses, each etched with the names of the victims. The crosses were piled high with flowers, cards and toys.
"I have a five-year-old goddaughter that I spend a lot of time with," Medrano said. "And the toys that I saw at these memorials of these murdered children were the same toys that she has in her toy box."
Medrano said he broke down in front of a cross.
"I cried, I prayed, and I apologized," Medrano said. "I apologized to that soul for not being the answer to this problem. The problem of someone getting an assault weapon and going into the school and murdering children."
Medrano and the group of mariachi musicians played a few songs to the community, such as "Amore Eterno," which talks about love and loss, and "Las Golondrinas," a traditional song of farewell.
"These songs aren't your everything's gonna be okay songs," Medrano said. "The lyrics to the songs express the true tragedy. I mean, they don't put a bandaid on it, they kind of rip the scab off so you can get that emotion, so you can expose it."
Seven-year-old Mariachi performer Matteo Lopez also sang a song called "México Lindo y Querido," which Medrano said was appropriate because the community in Uvalde predominantly has roots in Mexico.
"This was a time to play the music that our culture and our community can relate to," Medrano said.
In mariachi culture, musicians yell out "gritos," which is a scream or yell during a song. It can be used in celebration but also can express a guttural cry out loud during songs of grief and loss.
"That's the way we process, we have to cry out loud," Medrano said.
At the end of the performance, Medrano said the community thanked the group of musicians and understood why they performed.
"There was very much a healing session right there in front of the memorials," Medrano said.
'The Song of the People': The history of mariachi music
Mariachi music has deep roots in Mexican history. According to the Smithsonian Institute, the music's oldest rhythms date back to Mexico's colonial times (around 1519-1810) when people from Spain and African slaves and their descendants mixed with hundreds of American Indian cultures to create a new Mexican culture that varied depending on the vast region. The music was referred to as "mariachi" around the 1850s. The bands consist of trumpets, violins, a vihuela (five-string guitar), a guitarrón (six-string guitar) and sometimes a harp. Mariachi musicians wear beautiful suits known as los trajes de charros.
In its earliest days, mariachi bands started simple with two violins, a harp and a guitar instrument known as the vihuela. In the beginning, mariachi music was localized and known as "the song of the people," Medrano said. Songs were handed down from generation to generation. The first songs of mariachi music, known as "Sones," imitated life and nature.
For example, a song called "El Relámpago," meaning lightning, has quick and sharp notes that imitate the sound of thunder in a storm. Some of the first songs also imitated animals, such as birds and donkeys. The songs would always be lively and rhythmic, lending itself to dancing.
Mariachi music evolved through the years into more ballads and the music changed depending on the region in Mexico, such as the huapangos style of music. Medrano said musician Rubén Fuentes started refining mariachi music with the band Mariachi Vargas de Tecalitlán during the era. The music became more orchestral, Medrano said.
"There was a beautiful mix of the music," Medrano said. "The songwriting, the arranging and just the persona of Mexico, like Jorge Negrete, you know, very classic star, Lucha Villa, Lucha Reyes, Lola Beltrán, all this was a beautiful mixture that came together to create what we do today."
It's tradition for mariachi's to perform for every occasion in life – including funerals, as a way to celebrate life and heal those who are grieving.
"You see mariachis perform at festivals and fiestas, and it's all confetti and piñatas and having a good time," Medrano said. "But the other side of that is that we also are there for families and for loved ones, individuals who don't know how to process a tragedy, and we're asked to come and give comfort through music."
Medrano said performing at funerals is a humbling role.
"But we understand as a mariachi culture, that's part of what we do. We make you smile, and we try to hug your heart when you need it."
Helping Heal: What is music therapy?
Just as the mariachi musicians helped provide healing in Uvalde, music has been used as a form of therapy for a long time.
Robert Krout, professor emeritus of music therapy at Southern Methodist University, has been involved with music therapy and grief work for decades.
In a mass casualty event, those impacted are dealing with shock, grief, anger and other raw emotions all at the same time. This can make it overwhelming for people to talk out loud about what happened – which is where music can help express how they're feeling when words cannot.
Krout said music is processed by the entire brain – from cortical levels of being familiar with a song and linking it to a specific past event, to influencing our heartbeat by matching the beat to the song.
In music therapy, there is a neurological process called entrainment, where the brain and other rhythms in the body (such as heartbeat and pulse) match an external stimulus. For example, people exercise while listening to upbeat music, because they will naturally run to the beat of the song.
In music therapy, there is a client (the person being helped), the therapist (a professionally trained clinician), the music, and the music experience.
The music used in therapy can be active: playing a composed piece, improvising while playing, or moving to the music. The music can also be passive: listening and responding to the music.
Music therapists look at the client's needs, why they were referred to the therapist, their musical background and what aspect of music might benefit the client. Ultimately, music is used to help the client realize their own goals.
Krout said his clients, who are experiencing grief, frequently have relationships with certain songs – whether it be special to them or special to their lost loved one.
Playing familiar songs can be a good start to therapy, as the lyrics can be discussed and reflected upon.
Krout also said songwriting is therapeutic – whether having the client write a song to commemorate the loved one who died or having a gravely ill client write a song to express their wishes to their loved one as a keepsake for when they die.
'We don't want this to be repeated'
After the trip to Uvalde, Medrano and his friends wanted to commemorate the victims.
"We didn't want anybody to forget what happened," Medrano said.
So, they made a corrido, which is a written report in song lyrics of what happened.
They named it "El Corrido de Los Angeles de Uvalde." Medrano said the lyrics do not sugarcoat the tragic details of the shooting.
"It talks about the 90 minutes that they were waiting for help, that they were calling 9-1-1," Medrano said. "Nobody rushed in to save them, to save some at least. It talked about the assault weapon. We talked about the hurt, talked about the families fighting to try to get inside to save their own children by they were held back."
Listen to the full version of El Corrido de Los Angeles de Uvalde in the player below.
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Medrano said he hopes the song will bring awareness and, hopefully, policy change to prevent more tragic mass shootings.
"We don't want anybody to forget this part of the history because we don't want this to be repeated," Medrano said. "And if we can remember it and recall it and report it, even through music, that maybe we can make a change."
This video is the third of a four-part series by Clarified featured during Hispanic Heritage Month to educate viewers on the contributions, experiences and heroes of the Hispanic community.
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