SAN ANTONIO — John Nieto and his group Mariachi Aguila perform original music written by the veteran instructor, it's one of the reasons this program punched a ticket to the state competition. 

“I always tell the kids, 'You have to do your best no matter what,'” Nieto said. 

He’s been here at Brackenridge High School in San Antonio for 33 years, back when the campus only had five instruments and there weren’t competitions.

“We’d play an instrument, pass it around. Play, pass it around,” Nieto said. 

Nieto used to have to be dragged to mariachi practice on San Antonio’s West Side. However, he re-learned Spanish through mariachi during a time where everyone’s native tongue was being ripped away. He shares mariachi culture with everyone. 

“It lit a fire in me and those groups continue to inspire me,” Nieto said. 

He’s accomplished a lot, but he’s even more proud that six schools in his district, San Antonio ISD, have made it to state — the most for any school district in Texas. 

Mariachi Aguila singer Dominique has been on the varsity group since she was in seventh grade. 

“Like as soon as you get into your moment, all of your anxiety kind of melts away,” Dominique said. 

She’s a part of that wave of younger generation of students interested in mariachi — she actually comes from a family of mariachis. 

“I chose to come to Brack and I chose to be in mariachi, it was all completely my choice and I enjoy it,” Dominique said. 

It's in her blood, but for many other students its their first time, so how are there this many children interested in mariachi?

The answer is Belle San Miguel, also known as the “Madre of Mariachi.” 

She has dementia, but remembers when she brought musica to the classroom at Barkley Elementary on San Antonio’s West Side in the early 60s. 

“I started the group of Los Tejanitos,” San Miguel said. 

She and her husband, legendary mariachi Juan Ortiz, brought the first international mariachi conference to San Antonio in 1979. 

That same year, San Miguel’s alma matter, Lanier High School, offered their first ever mariachi course. 

“That was the beginning of us trying to legitimize mariachi music, mariachi education,” Ortiz said. 

It’s San Miguel’s vision that ultimately led to the University Interscholastic League (UIL) recognizing mariachi at the state level. 

There’s options now for students to reconnect with their roots or in Dominique’s case, continue her father Nieto’s legacy. 

Nieto’s confident the cultura will continue through this younger generation. He credits San Miguel for being a pioneer. 

He says all he has to really do is teach children about music and let them have fun. 

“That’s the first rule and all of this will take care of itself,” Nieto pointed to the awards.