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Alicia Rubio is a violinist and vocalist with over 20 years of experience specializing in mariachi music. Originally from San Diego, California, she has performed with prominent artists and participated in various musical productions, including the Two Time Grammy Award-winning Mariachi Divas de Cindy Shea. Alicia Rubio graduated with a Bachelor of Music in Performance, violin in 2016 andher  Master's in Latin Music with a concentration in mariachi vocal performance at Texas State University

in May 2025. She is concurrently a violinist for San Marcos Artist Retention and Training Orchestra, a violin and viola private instructor for RNT music, a mariachi instructor for Centro Cultural Hispano de San Marcos, and mariachi music instructor at Palo Alto College in San Antonio.

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John Lopez John Lopez is synonymous with mariachi in San Marcos.  Since 1993 John has been a part of the San Marcos community.  He has been a professor of music at Texas State University and currently leads the mariachi program at Palo Alto College in San Antonio.  His interest was not only to teach and grow the Latin music/mariachi program at Texas State, but to reach into the heart of the San Marcos community and establish a youth mariachi program.  He began his youth mariachi program at Texas State and for several years the program flourished and came to include a Feria del Mariachi, a statewide youth mariachi workshop and competition.  To make it easier for parents to access the program, John moved his program to Centro Cultural Hispano de San Marcos.  John has demonstrated a devotion to engage and enthuse elementary age students to learn and love Latin music, especially Mariachi music.  On the University level his Mariachi and Salsa bands were nationally recognized and performed internationally in Chile, Scotland, Switzerland, France, and Mexico!

His youth mariachi group has performed locally at events such as Sights & Sounds, local senior retirement centers, churches and community events.

His youth program has provided a path for students to be more than ready when they get to high school and are able to join the San Marcos High School mariachi group and to even continue to pursue their mariachi education at the university level.  

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Ms. Bianka Gonzalez was born and raised in McAllen, Texas and did not start her

dance journey until she moved to San Marcos to attend university. As a college

student, she  was a part of Texas State University’s Grupo Folklorico Ocotochtli.

During her time with GFO she held many roles including Vice President,

Choreographer, and President. During her time as Vice President/Choreographer,

GFO attended the Festivales de Mexico National Folklorico Competition where her choreography was awarded first place in the large group category. The group was

also awarded 2 more first place trophies, 2 second place trophies, and 1 third

place trophy. Ms. Bianka has over 7 years of experience dancing and teaching

and is excited to educate our future dancers.”