Adrian Perez is dedicated to the study, preservation, and development of the Mexican Folk harp traditions. Adrian Perez is a recognized Harpist amongst the traditional Latin folk arts music community, encompassing music traditions from the Western States of Mexico to the Southern Coast in Veracruz, which are reflective of the Mariachi and Son Jarocho harp sounds. Since 2004 Adrian has frequently studied with world renowned master musicians deeply rooted in Mexican traditional music resulting in Adrian developing a pedagogical approach to Mariachi and Mexican Folk Harp. This approach diffuses knowledge through the design of a curriculum that has been utilized in school districts in the states of California, Arizona, Nevada, Colorado and Texas. In addition, Adrian has established himself as a leading practitioner of Mexican Folk Harp by performing at prestigious cultural music events spanning from the United States to France, making a significant impact on young students learning the art form all over the United States and Mexico.
Adrian had the distinct honor and privilege of learning from and performing with Mariachi Los Camperos de Nati Cano and Mariachi Cobre from 2007 – 2012 across stages and music conferences within the Continental United States. Adrian was also invited to perform with a Conjunto de Arpa Grande, a tradition of the Mexican State of Michoacan, during the 2010 Smithsonian Folklife Festival in which various indigenous and traditional arts of Mexico were exhibited. One of his most memorable experiences was traveling to St. Nazaire, France for the Les Escales Music Festival with a Tucson based Mariachi to share the traditions of Mexican music with an international audience.
Adrian Perez has a Bachelor’s Degree in Science in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Texas at El Paso and is currently an Engineer for Fortune 500 Aerospace/Defense leader, Raytheon Technologies. He is also currently pursuing a graduate degree at Johns Hopkins University in Systems Engineering. Combining a musical pedagogy and an engineering approach to teaching mariachi music, he has succeeded in multiple facets of mariachi music instruction, planning, and execution of conferences and concert events amongst the Arizona-Texas-New Mexico Mariachi community. As an advocate for the diffusion, support and the performance of traditional arts, Adrian continues to mentor and teach students around the United States and Mexico. In addition to his educational and professional commitments, Adrian also serves as a Board Member for the Tucson International Mariachi Conference (TIMC), Tigua Community Development Corporation (TCDC) and as a corporate liaison and mentor for the Hispanic Serving Institute (HSI) partnership between Raytheon Technologies and the University of Arizona.
Highlights:
2010 Mexican Folk Art Ambassador (Smithsonian Folkways)
2019 Southwest Folklife Alliance Master-Apprentice award recipient
Artists Accompanied in Concert:
Juan Gabriel
Linda Ronstadt
Los Tigres Del Norte
Placido Domingo
Aida Cuevas
Espinoza Paz
Jenni Rivera
Paquita La del Barrio
Beatriz Adriana
Shaila Durcal
Lila Downs
Host: Dr. Nadia Alvarez, Ph.D. Teaching and Teacher Education
Production and Engineering: Gwendoline Hernández Nenny G of KXCI’s The Latin Connection
Music on this Episode: Regalo del Cielo by Fernando Valadés. Fernando Teodoro Valadés Lejarza, Composer.
