We’ve all seen the traditional fare…Houston Ballet’s The Nutcracker Suite and Alley Theatre’s A Christmas Carol. While we all appreciate those timeless classics, sometimes it’s nice to spice up the holiday season with something different, and Houston Symphony has just the answer. It will present José Hernández and his world-renowned Mariachi Sol de México for José Hernández’ Merry-Achi Christmas on December 23 at Jones Hall.
The night will be filled with music, singing, dancing and celebration as the group performs treasured holiday classics such as El Niño del tambor (Little Drummer Boy), Himno de la alegría (A Song of Joy), the Nutcracker Medley and many more holiday favorites with a surprising Mariachi twist.
“It’s a celebration of the Mexican tradition of celebrating Navidad,” Hernández said. “We do the classic Christmas songs like ‘White Christmas’ and ‘Silver Bells,’ but the audience will also hear all these great classics with very special mariachi arrangements.”
For a taste of what is to come, see the clip below:
Between the perennial favorites, the mariachi will perform tributes to different states of Mexico and to the great composers of Mexico like Juan Gabriel and Jose Alfredo Jimenez.
“And obviously we do a lot of the songs that people know us for,” he said.
The group is in fact well-known and respected, and their own catalogue has plenty to choose from. Since its founding in 1981, Mariachi Sol de México has been nominated 13 times for the for the Latin Grammys, winning twice. The group has performed for five U.S. Presidents.
Further proving that “this isn’t your grandmother’s mariachi,” it has accepted the mantel as the nation’s mariachi ambassadors, having toured Spain, Chile, Venezuela and Colombia, as well as holding the distinction of being the first mariachi to perform in the People’s Republic of China and North Korea.
Hernández says the crowd reacts quite well to the show, which has earned them a standing invitation for the holidays in several cities. They are returning to San Antonio for their second year (that is already sold out), and they have been performing this concert with the San Francisco Symphony for 14 years.
“It’s turned into a tradition in many cities, and we hope to start a tradition in Houston this year,” he said.
For Hernández, mariachi runs through his blood.
“[As a child,] all I heard every day was mariachi music. That’s all I heard because that’s what my father did,” he said. “My five older brothers, they all grew up to become mariachi musicians also. It’s a very, very strong gene in my family.”
He is a seventh-generation mariachi musician. His family has played music professionally since the 1700s when Mexico was New Spain. Arguably, his is the longest surviving family that continues to play mariachi music.
Hernández’ daughter Crystal is following the family tradition. She is a recent graduate of Texas Christian University who studied violin and music education, and she has now joined her father’s ensemble Mariachi Reyna de Los Angeles, a sister group to the one Houston will see this month.
The bloodline continues, and hopefully so will the appearances in Houston for Mariachi Sol de México.
Note: The Houston Symphony orchestra will not perform during this show.
Houston Symphony presents José Hernández’ Merry-Achi Christmas at 7:30 p.m. on December 23 at Jones Hall, 615 Louisiana. For tickets or information, call 713-224-7575 or visit houstonsymphony.org. $52 – $125.
This article appears in Jan 1 – Dec 31, 2024.
