Brendan is a freshman majoring in Bioengineering. This is his first year in the Mariachi Club and also is a member of the Lehigh Philharmonic Orchestra
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Meet the Band
Guitar
John holds a Juris Doctor degree from The Thomas M. Cooley Law School and an LL.M. from The Georgetown University Law Center. He has played Guitar for 35 years and currently performs hits from the 60s thru the 90s in his band Lo & Behold.
Violin
Emily is a senior nursing student at Moravian College. She has been playing violin for 13 years, being mainly involved in classical music ensembles until college. Currently she plays in the Moravian College Community Orchestra, Moravian College Celtic Ensemble, and most recently the Lehigh University Mariachi Band.
Musical Director
Vocals, Trumpet
Originally recruited in 2013 as a trumpeter, Chris, an alumnus of the Class of '03 and living legend of the Marching 97, had recently embarked upon a career change and returned to college to study music. Primed with vocal training, when the need arose in 2014 for a new singer, "El Gringo Cantante" emerged as the new front man of Mariachi Montaña del Sur. Chris is now a graduate student of music education pursuing a Master of Arts in Teaching at Moravian College.
Guitar
Moravian College Jazz Guitar major. Also plays in the Jazz Fusion band, and Improv Ensemble at Moravian. Sings in the Moravian Choir. Has been playing and performing in his own band, Twisting Life, since 2011
Violin
Emilia has been a member of Mariachi Montana del Sur since her freshman year of college. She graduated from Lehigh University with a BA in Economics and Spanish in 2014 and an MS in Statistics in 2016. While a student at Lehigh, she played violin in the Lehigh University Philharmonic Orchestra as well as various chamber music groups. At performances, Emilia enjoys the support of her father in the audience, whose favorite song is “El Rey.”
Trumpet
George is a Lehigh grad BA '69, MA '71, and a retired Bethlehem Area School District English teacher. He plays in several local musical groups including the South Side Brass, the Lehigh Valley Pops Orchestra, and the Elm Street Jazz Workshop.
Manager
Trumpet
Soon-to-be retired faculty member in civil/environmental engineering at Lehigh. I have played in most of the official Lehigh instrumental groups such as Jazz Band, Wind Ensemble, and Orchestra and an off-campus brass ensemble called the South Side Brass. It was my great pleasure back in 2003 to help create the Mariachi Montana del Sur!
Members Emeriti
Bass
A Lehigh '07 graduate, Josh was a member of the Lehigh Philharmonic Orchestra, and past President of the Mariachi Club and founding member of Mariachi Montaña del Sur, playing with us from 2003-2007.
Bass
A Lehigh '06 graduate in International Relations, Alex was also a member of the Lehigh Philharmonic Orchestra.
Guitar
A Lehigh '04 graduate in Mechanical Engineering, Roberto, a native of Mexico, was the only one of us who owned a real Mariachi charro suit. A member of Mariachi Montaña del Sur during 2003 and 2004, Roberto has returned to a professional career in Mexico. We dearly miss him and that suit!
Trumpet
A Lehigh '06 graduate in Mechanical Engineering, Tom was a member of the Lehigh University Jazz Ensemble.
Violin
Christine was an Assistant Professor of Computer Science and Engineering at Lehigh, a member of the Lehigh Philharmonic Orchestra and a founding member of Mariachi Montaña del Sur. She played with us from 2003-2007.
String Bass
Senior, man, myth, legend. Speaks 7 languages including Klingon. Raised by family of orca whales but born half leopard. No records from the ages of 8-12 but possible spotting in Mexico where it is suggested he picked up his mariachi origins.
Violin
Jackie joined Mariachi Montaña del Sur in January 2005 and graduated in 2007 She was a member of the Lehigh Philharmonic Orchestra and majored in Environmental Engineeing.
Violin
A Lehigh '06 graduate in math and computer science, Don was a violist in the Lehigh Philharmonic Orchestra, Secretary of the Mariachi Club, and a founding member of Mariachi Montaña del Sur.
Trumpet
A Lehigh '07 graduate in Electrical Engineering, John joined us in August 2006. He was also the Drum Major with Lehigh's Marching 97 and a member of the Lehigh University Jazz Ensemble.
Violin
Todd is an Associate Professor of Economics at Lehigh. A member of the Lehigh Philharmonic Orchestra, and a founding member of Mariachi Montaña del Sur, he has been playing violin since 3rd grade.
Vocals
Yanire is a Chemical Engineer from Mexico, she came to Bethlehem in August 2001 and returned to Mexico in June, 2005. After her first "5 de mayo" in the States (very desapointing) , she commited herself to share Mexican culture in any posible way. She planned a huge event for Lehigh Valley Academy Charter School for her second "5 de mayo" in 2003 and it made the TV news. In September 2004 she joined Mariachi Montaña del Sur. After the first time her children heard the Mariachi, they decided to join us too. Regina is 9 and Emilio is 5, their favorite song is "Cielito Lindo".