Estrellitas de Omaha history...
In 1990, the group Estrellitas de Omaha, was formed by Dr. James Ramirez and Rosemary Flores to offer students the Mexican, folk teachings of
Mariachi music. The group would form its own 501 C3 non-profit organization to do what so many other cities in the Southwest were already
doing - teaching the Mariachi genre to youth. The program would go on to offer students the opportunity to study Mexican traditional music
and to share this cultural art form with the community.
For the first 10 years, the organization was operated by Rosemary Flores and Mary Lou Navarijo and would use schools through OPS and Catholic facilities to teach classes. They were the backbone that carried on a group of young people that went on to start groups like Los Galleros, Las Palomas and play with local groups such as Mariachi Juvenil, Mariachi Zapata and now Mariachi Luna y Sol. Eventually one student would go on to play with mariachis in California and pursue Mariachi as a full-time career.
1998 Estrellitas
Teachings were available for all youth from the ages of five years old to eighteen years old. Mariachi Las Estrellitas de Omaha practiced weekly during the school season and performed for numerous public celebrations such as Cinco de Mayo, Hispanic Heritage Month, Festivals and many other events. The group also attended National Mariachi Workshops with some of the greatest maestros from world famous groups such as Mariachi Los Camperos de Nati Cano, Mariachi Vargas and Mariachi Cobre.
Throughout Las Estrellitas sixteen year history it has been fortunate enough to been provided professional instruction from Ms. Rosemary Flores, Rosie and David Hererra, Ms. Bernadette Plaza, Ms. Barb Gutierrez, Miguel Gutierrez, Corie Moody, Lisa Thomas, Anadelia Lamas, Jose Lopez and the most current instructors Marcos E. Mora, Tony Grasso, Abel Hernandez, Erazmo Hernandez and Ricardo Diaz.
...now, South Omaha Arts Institute
Now in its 16th year a new generation of musicians have begun and have finally found a place they can call home - the South Omaha Arts
Institute. Located in the heart of South Omaha the organization now provides a more sound arts education with classrooms, practice rooms,
computers and a performance hall. The organization has also opened up its programs to all ages of the public and has expanded its services
in Music and Dance to all Latin genres in order to meet demand and the ability to reach more youth in the arts.
2006 Estrellitas