Concert Program

World Music Series

Music of Mexico
Homenaje a José Alfredo Jiménez

Sunday, November 15, 2026
3:00 pm
Boutell Memorial Concert Hall

Program

Los H-S

Los H-S Roster

Jonathan Alanis, Saxophone
Jorge Estrella, Charcheta
Luis Ocampo, Accordion, Voice
Lesley Trejo, Voice
Michaelangelo Uribe, Guitar
Sam Okunnu, Tuba

NIU Son Jarocho

NIU Son Jarocho Roster

Jonathan Arroyo, Jarana Jarocho
Matthew Diaz, Mosquito Jarana
Jesus Madrigal, Leona
Gabriel Roethle, Jarana Jarocho, Violin
Nathan Stade, Requinto Jarocho
Erik Velásquez, Cajón

Mariachi NIU

Mariachi NIU Roster

Trumpets
Christian Barraza*+
Matthew Harvey

Violins
Samantha Botello+
Amanda Giron+
Laura Gonzalez*
Eduardo Morales
Vivian Muñoz
Vivian Salazar
Hudson Schill

Armonía
Jonathan Arroyo*+
David Leija Bear*+
Oliver Hinterlong
Alberto Kipp
Nathan Stade
Abdiel Trejo

Guitarrón
Roberto De Leon*
Matthew Diaz

Singers
Eduardo Gonzalez*
Alondra Hermosillo
Sam Okunnu

*denotes section leader
+denotes vocalist

Banda NIU

Roberto De Leon, director

Banda NIU Roster

Clarinets
Tommy Akemann
Christian Martinez
Luis Ocampo
Michaelangelo Uribe*+
Eduardo Zamudio*

Trumpets
Marlowe Galvez
Fernando Garduno-Cadena*
Julian Hernandez*
David Watson

Trombones
Clark Bennett
Juan Figueroa
Juan Garnica*

Charchetas
Roberto De Leon
Lesley Trejo*+

Tubas
Jonathan Alanis
Alex Dunal
Allen Lenhart
Sam Okunnu*

Percussion
Jordan Baker
Jenna Brown*
David Zetina-Perez

Singers
Jonathan Arroyo
Spencer Olivia*

*denotes section leader
+denotes vocalist

Program Notes

Homenaje a José Alfredo Jiménez

José Alfredo Jiménez is arguably the most famous Mexican singer of all time. Having written over 1,000 songs, he has had an undeniable in Mexican culture. Despite having no musical upbringing, he built a successful career with his songs through his raw emotion and personal themes. Songs like Si nos dejan, El rey, and Serenata hueasteca are performed by mariachis at every gig because of how popular and in demand they are. 2026 marks his 100^th posthumous birthday; this concert honors his contributions to Mexican music as Mariachi NIU and Banda NIU perform his songs.

Mariachi NIU

Mariachi NIU, the official mariachi ensemble of the Northern Illinois University School of Music, celebrates the rich musical traditions of Mexico through performance, education, and community engagement. Open to NIU students and community members, the ensemble provides opportunities for cultural expression, leadership, and collaboration across campus and beyond.

Guided by its mission to preserve and promote mariachi music, Mariachi NIU strives to build bridges between cultures and generations, fostering pride, inclusion, and excellence. Through its performances, the ensemble continues to inspire audiences and strengthen connections between NIU and the diverse communities it serves.

Tony Ozuna, Mariachi NIU director

Jose Antonio Ozuna has over 30 years of experience teaching and performing mariachi music. Now in his 16th year as the founding Mariachi Music Teacher at Jovita Idár Elementary in Chicago and in his third-year teaching mariachi at Northern Illinois University, Mr. Ozuna is dedicated to inspiring young musicians and building community through music.

His work in music education has earned recognition from the NAMM Foundation, the Latin Grammy Cultural Foundation in 2019, and a Teacher of the Year award in 2015. His most meaningful accomplishments, however, are the experiences he shares with his students and fellow musicians. These include performances and collaborations with the Chicago White Sox, Chicago Bulls, Chicago Fire FC, and Green Bay Packers, as well as a performance for Vice President Kamala Harris at UnidosUS.

Through NIU’s World Music Program, Mr. Ozuna continues to develop musicianship, mentorship, and a deeper understanding of mariachi traditions. His teaching emphasizes culturally responsive pedagogy, musical excellence, and meaningful performance opportunities, preparing the next generation of musicians and educators to carry these traditions forward.

Banda NIU

Northern Illinois University holds the distinction of having the first banda sinaloense ensemble in an official university music curriculum in the United States. Founded in 2020, Banda NIU honors the tradition of the great bandas from the western Mexican state of Sinaloa. Its long and rich history is drawn on collaboration between European immigrants to Mexico in the 1800s to create popular Mexican songs. Banda NIU brings the infectious energy of this exciting music to NIU through concerts in the school of music as well as the community.

Roberto De Leon, Banda NIU director

Roberto De Leon is a drummer, steel pannist, tarolero, guitarronero, and vihuelista from Chicago, Illinois. A performer, arranger, and music educator specializing in Latin American music, De Leon focuses primarily on Mexican genres. He is an experienced banda and mariachi musician and educator, having performed with ensembles across the United States and Mexico.

De Leon holds a bachelor’s degree and a performer’s certificate in percussion performance from Northern Illinois University (NIU), where he studied under Dr. Gregory Beyer and Ben Wahlund. Since 2024, De Leon has presented his pedagogical experiences on banda and mariachi at conferences/events at NIU and the University of New Mexico (UNM). While pursuing graduate studies at the UNM School of Music, De Leon gained an in-depth understanding of banda, mariachi, and the musicological studies behind these two genres to become a more grounded teacher and music researcher. While living in Albuquerque (ABQ), De Leon worked for ABQ Public Schools as a substitute teacher for mariachi classes and co-founded the banda at Atrisco Heritage High School. The very rich mariachi presence in ABQ allowed De Leon abundant gigging and teaching opportunities which later led him to return to NIU as the Director of Banda NIU (2025-26).  Currently pursuing graduate studies in world music pedagogy at NIU, De Leon is awarded graduate assistantship to help direct for both Banda and Mariachi.

De Leon’s past teaching experiences include: directing Mariachi Camino Real De Chicago, serving as the instructor of mariachi at Orozco Academy in Pilsen, directing the Banda at Lane Technical High School, and working at the People’s Center for Cultural and Contemporary Arts.