Grade school students learn to play mariachi music at Metropolitan State University Denver camp

In April, middle and high school students descended on the campus of Metropolitan State University in Denver with one goal in mind: to learn how to play mariachi music

"But it's not just that. It's learning the style of how we play," said Dr. Philip Ficsor, Assistant Professor of Music at MSU Denver.

The camp was part of the Viva Southwest mariachi conference. It's a program put on by MSU Denver to give kids interested in mariachi the opportunity to learn from some of the greatest mariachis in the nation.

Even though many of the students grew up culturally with mariachi music, when they became music students, they learned a totally different way to play.

"It's really nice having firsthand experience or someone who knows all their stuff," said Skyline High School Junior Fernando Gurolla. "My background is very classical. So just being able to actually understand everything is just great."

Students came from as far away as Arizona, but this conference was created primarily for young Colorado musicians so they could learn close to home, making attendance feasible.

"I've heard from a couple of people attending saying that we only have to drive a couple hours to this place, whereas Tucson, Albuquerque are 8 to 10 hours away," said Ficsor.

The camp also serves another purpose, to create a mariachi culture in Colorado to rival the ones in states like Texas, New Mexico and Arizona. That way, an important piece of our state's history isn't forgotten.

"I think that it is creating a distinctively Colorado mariachi style," said Ficsor.