FAA MUSIC PUBLICATIONS
About Us
About Me:
Hello! My name is Fernando Antonio Aguilar, and I'm a passionate musician with roots in San Antonio, Texas.
I am the 9th of 11 children and as a child I always heard music at home. Mariachi music was always blasting from the garage as my father worked on his many projects, my older brothers listened to music while working on their cars, and my sisters sang along to music as they did chores inside. Music has been my lifelong love and I have whistled tunes as long as I can remember. My 25 plus years of performing and over 20 years of teaching all began when I picked up the trumpet at the age of 10 while attending Washington Irving Middle School in SAISD. It was there that I was introduced to the vibrant world of mariachi music, which had just been introduced as an elective that year. From that moment on, I was hooked.
From School to Stage: A Journey Through Music
Throughout my years at Fox Tech High School, I continued to immerse myself in concert band, jazz and mariachi, honing my skills and developing a deep appreciation for playing music and understanding how it works. This journey led me to pursue a degree in Music Education at UT PAN AM, where I also had the privilege of being part of the amazing mariachi program. I transcribed and arranged music for the mariachi while still performing in the Jazz, Concert, Symphonic and Latin Jazz Ensembles.
I’ve been dedicated to transcribing music and developing exercises tailored to the needs of all my students and groups. This personalized approach has allowed me to create engaging and effective learning experiences for each individual, group, and mariachi program that I have been a part of.
From a Six-Week Gig to a Lifelong Journey
In 2004, an exciting opportunity arose when I auditioned for a new mariachi show on The Las Vegas Strip. This opportunity took me to Las Vegas, Nevada, where I had the incredible experience of performing for “The Mariachi M Show” at the Aladdin Hotel and Casino. What was initially a six-week contract turned into six months of unforgettable performances.
During my time in Vegas, and thanks to new friends, I was offered a position teaching in Clark County School District. Since then, I’ve been deeply involved in the music education scene here in Las Vegas, sharing my knowledge and passion with students and educators alike..
Living the Dream
While mariachi holds a special place in my heart, I also have a deep appreciation for Classical, Jazz, Country, Pop and other genres of music. In my free time, I enjoy playing mariachi music. It doesn’t matter if it’s in the smallest backyard or the biggest concert venues. This not only allows me to stay sharp, but also brings me immense joy.
In all aspects of my life, I am grateful for the opportunities music has brought me and the connections it has allowed me to make. I’m truly living my dream, and I can’t wait to see where the journey takes me next.
My Why
When I started learning mariachi music, it was commonly passed down to the next generations by rote. In my many years of mariachi studies, I have learned songs with many forms of “music”. Some songs were learned by rote, and if the music was written down at all, it was in letter names with no rhythms, shorthand “musical notes”, handwritten parts, and very few times in nice printed sheet music.
Music Examples I grew up with:
Accurate Mariachi Sheet Music for Educators
As I gained experience as an educator, I felt that I could make this music more accurately transcribed, professionally typeset, and easily available to educators . I know the educators of the past did the best they could to provide a strong musical education to students without many resources. Now that Mariachi Music is more respected in the classroom, we need to make sure the next generations have reliable, professional, and musically accurate sheet music as they learn.
When music software became more popular and accessible, more people were transcribing music for mariachi but many either
- Were not good at transcribing music
- Didn’t understand how to write music rhythms/ melodies
- Didn’t bother to include any musical nuances – dynamics, accents, slurs, etc.
- Didn’t understand the workings of the music software.
Bringing Mariachi Education to New Heights
This is why I have spent so many years learning to play the mariachi instruments, studying music theory, and lots and lots of practice with music software to get my sheet music to where it is. These efforts have helped so many of my students succeed in music, and also helps them easily transition from playing mariachi music to other ensembles like band, choir, and orchestra.
As a professional musician and educator, I feel it is time to bring mariachi education to the level of all the other genres taught in schools.
