Mariachi Herencia is the official competitive team for Tomball ISD’s mariachi program, led by program director Miguel Aguirre. The program recently advanced to the University Interscholastic League State Mariachi Competition.
The history
The TISD mariachi program originally began in 2023. Aguirre said at the time, the program was more of a club than the competitive team they are now. Over the first year, the team put on around five performances—but it wasn’t until the second year that the program's goals and expectations began to shift.
“I would say our second concert ever, which was May of 2025, people just went up to me [and] they're like, “Wow, what a difference from December, right?’” Aguirre said. “What it was is these kids putting in so much work throughout that first year ... that second concert was very special to me because not only did I close out my first year of ever teaching, but I was closing off on a very good note.”
As it currently stands, the mariachi ensemble is made up of 14 students. Next year, however, the program at the junior high level is set to begin and will feed into the high school ensemble.
The programs at both levels will remain relatively the same as any other varsity choir or band program. Aguirre said the main difference will be a larger emphasis on music literacy and music engineering, as well as the basic tenets of marching performance and history.
“I've been biased, but that's one of my favorite things about mariachi, and I think one of the coolest parts is that you were able to teach these kids so many things and it just helps them grow as hard workers and musicians.
Whats next
“The second year, the expectation really was to be successful at UIL Area,” Aguirre said. “Thankfully, because of the hard work of the kids, we went beyond our expectation and we made it to state. Now, this year our goal is not only to maintain that expectation, but to be even more successful at state.”
The UIL is the highest level of competition for public school music programs in Texas. TISD qualified for the competition after earning a Division I varsity ensemble rating at the Coastal Bend Region competition on Jan 28. Overall, the experience for the team was humbling and exciting, and Aguirre said they are looking forward to trying to qualify again this upcoming semester.
“I had a big freshman class enter into the program in 2024, and now they're juniors,” Aguirre said. “Some of these kids, after working for a year, are seeing that their hard work comes with these great results. It was great, and being at the state level, not only was it humbling for us, but it was just an honor.”
