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Friday, May. 30, 2008

Mariachi Cobre

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Mariachi Cobre is leaving the land of Mickey Mouse to visit the land of Gallo wine.

The popular group, which is based at Walt Disney World's EPCOT Center in Florida, is performing with the Modesto Symphony Orchestra on June 6.

If the name sounds familiar, that's because the musicians have been to Modesto twice before — once in 1999 and once in 2002 — to play with MSO. The last time, though, the concert was canceled at the last minute because of the orchestra players' strike.

"I remember it all too well," said Mariachi Cobre member Randy M. Carrillo. "That was the first time in the 37 years of having this group that that has happened. That was rough. When a situation comes down to actually taking a labor action, it's a difficult situation for all sides, including the community."

Carillo was glad to hear that the orchestra musicians and board are getting along great these days and that there is no danger of a concert cancellation this time. He promises an entertaining evening of upbeat music.

"You're going to hear one of the best groups of its kind in the world," he said. "The material we're going to be performing with the orchestra is very exciting. If you like traditional mariachi music, you're going to love it."

The mariachi musicians will speak in both English and Spanish and will encourage the audience to relax and have fun. Carillo said he doesn't expect concertgoers to sit quietly during the music as they would at a classical performance.

He and the other mariachi members would be thrilled if the crowd clapped and cheered.

Working under the direction of guest conductor Rick Mizell, one of the music directors at Walt Disney World, Mariachi Cobre and the orchestra will perform pieces together and separately. Selections on the program include "Estrellita," "Somos Novios" and "Espana."

Mariachi Cobre was founded in 1971 in Tucson, Ariz., and evolved out of the mariachi youth group Los Changuitos Feos, which formed a few years earlier. Carillo, 54, admitted he wasn't very excited when his parents suggested he try out as a guitarist for the group. At the time, he was more interested in rock 'n' roll. But once he was introduced to the mariachi sound, he was hooked.

Eventually, he and some of the members formed Mariachi Cobre, taking their name from the Spanish word for "copper." Carillo explained that Arizona is known as "the Copper State" and that copper was a semiprecious metal to Mexican Indians.

Mariachi Cobre accepted an invitation to perform at EPCOT in 1982 and has been there ever since, performing seven shows a day, five days a week. It's not the easiest job, but it's a lot of fun, Carillo said.

"You have to develop a certain discipline to accomplish all of those sets and to keep a good attitude and to keep yourself physically and musically healthy," he said.

Carillo and the other musicians are grateful that Disney allows the group to take breaks from time to time to perform with orchestras. Over the years, Mariachi Cobre has performed with more than 35 orchestras in the United States and Mexico, including in Boston, Cincinnati, Atlanta, San Antonio and Guadalajara.

"It's great to feel an orchestra performing behind you," Carillo said. "It's a lot of fun collaborating with musicians of a very high caliber."