SAN JOSE, Calif.----The San José Mariachi and Mexican Heritage Festival (SJMHF), the signature Latin music destination event of Northern California, today announced T-Mobile USA, Inc. as the title sponsor of this year’s annual event, which is celebrating its 18th year. The event will be known as The T-Mobile San Jose Mariachi and Mexican Heritage Festival, Presented by Target.
As Title Sponsor, T-Mobile is affirming their commitment to the Hispanic and diverse communities of the Bay Area and the shared vision of empowering academic achievement through music education by contributing funds towards the Festival’s music education initiatives.
The Festival’s Artistic Director, multiple GRAMMY® winner Linda Ronstadt has selected a programming theme which highlights the achievements of Mexican American civil rights leader Cesar Chavez and the artistry of the music and musicians of Mexican cinema. Among the artists performing at the Festival with ties to Chavez’ movement to improve the lives of farm workers are Joan Baez, Carlos Santana, Los Lobos and Little Joe y La Familia. The mariachi artists appearing at the Festival include Mariachi Cobre, Mariachi Los Camperos de Nati Cano, Mariachi Azteca and Mariachi Tradicional de Nayarit. Mexican singer Aida Cuevas, who is known as Mexico’s “Queen of Mariachi” will headline the festival’s signature mariachi concert on September 26.
“We’re thrilled to welcome T-Mobile USA to our Festival familia,” stated Festival Executive Producer Marcela Davison Aviles. “We share a common commitment to improving the lives of our children and community through music education, and providing access to low income communities to culturally relevant, standards based music instruction. Earned revenue from this annual signature event supports our year-long music programs in the schools and local community centers.”
The Festival’s weeklong schedule includes a concert by Ms. Baez, a musical revue entitled “Mariachi Goes to the Movies”, celebrating Mexico’s “Golden Era” of Mexican film and a rock concert with special guests Los Lobos, Carols Santana, and Little Joe y La Familia appearing in a music tribute to Cesar Chavez.
The Festival provides a welcome community celebration in the midst of tough economic times. Highlights also include free outdoor community concerts presented by Target. The Festival schedule also includes educational workshops in mariachi music, ballet folklorico, Mexican green building and design and, for the first time, ‘slow food’ Mexican cooking. Major funding for this year’s festival is also provided by the City of San José and the San Jose Redevelopment Agency. Festival ticket information is available at www.sjmariachifestival.com or www.ticketmaster.com, or by calling 1-800-745-3000.
About the Mexican Heritage Corporation
The Mexican Heritage Corporation is the producer of the nation’s largest Mexican American cultural celebration, The San Jose Mariachi and Mexican Heritage Festival. MHC’s mission is to affirm, celebrate and preserve Mexico’s rich cultural heritage and to showcase multicultural visual arts, performance arts and cultural events. MHC realizes its mission with a multi-disciplinary education and artistic program that celebrates Mexican culture and illuminates and explores the diversity and influence of Mexican culture on other communities worldwide through the visual, performing and media arts. For more information visit www.mhcviva.org
About the San Jose Mariachi and Mexican Heritage Festival
Now in its 18th year, the San Jose Mariachi and Mexican Heritage Festival offers a week-long schedule of music, cultural and educational events, drawing over 30,000 people annually. Throughout the years the Festival has presented a variety of traditional, Latin alternative, pop and regional Mexican headline artists in concert such as Linda Ronstadt, Aida Cuevas, Juan Gabriel, Marco Antonio Solis, Los Lobos, Ozomatli, to name a few. The Festival is the cornerstone of Mexican Heritage programming and the largest of its type in the nation.
About T-Mobile USA, Inc.
Based in Bellevue, Wash., T-Mobile USA, Inc. is the U.S. operation of Deutsche Telekom AG’s Mobile Communications Business, and a wholly owned subsidiary of T-Mobile International, one of the world’s leading companies in mobile communications. By the end of the second quarter of 2009, almost 150 million mobile customers were served by the mobile communication segments of the Deutsche Telekom group — 33.5 million by T-Mobile USA — all via a common technology platform based on GSM and UMTS, the world’s most widely used digital wireless standards. T-Mobile’s innovative wireless products and services help empower people to connect to those who matter most. Multiple independent research studies continue to rank T-Mobile among the highest in numerous regions throughout the U.S. in wireless customer care and call quality. For more information, please visithttp://www.T-Mobile.com. T-Mobile is a federally registered trademark of Deutsche Telekom AG.
