To all of our donors, 

It has been a few months since our campaign ended, but thanks to your incredible generosity, you were able to send Mariachi de Uclatlán abroad to Japan! 

In May of 2024, Mariachi de Uclatlán traveled to Japan to participate in a cultural exchange and tour of various universities in and surrounding the metropolitan city of Tokyo. Our ensembles toured and performed at five universities: Chuo University, Waseda University, Kanda University, Takushoku University, and Meiji University. 

This unique opportunity would not have been possible without the contributions that were provided by Mariachi de Uclatlán’s Spark Campaign. Mariachi de Uclatlán would like to extend its gratitude to the donors who supported this memorable and impactful journey. 

Enrique Rodriguez Gonzalez, a second-year ethnomusicology major, shared his appreciation for the trip, stating that this experience gave him the chance to “enjoy a culture which is distinctly different” from his own. 

Carlos Oliva, fourth year UCLA ethnomusicology major and student director of Mariachi de Uclatlán, saw this as an opportunity to “share the beauty of my culture and learn about the beauty of theirs.”

If you are interested in reading more about our trip, check out the Herb Alpert School of Music’s photo article, Mariachi de Uclatlán Visits Japan! See also our group vlogs and special Instagram account of the trip at instagram.com/uclatlan.jpg (@uclatlan.jpg).

Con agradecimiento, 

Mariachi de Uclatlán

Thank you for supporting Mariachi De Uclatán and our trip to Japan. We are thrilled to announce that we made it to $7,500 by campaign close and we able to unlock our $2,500 matching gift. Thanks to you, we reached 100% of our goal!  We cannot express how much we appreciate all of your support. We look forward to sharing Mexican culture and heritage in Japan as this trip becomes a reality thanks to your help! Arigato!

Importantly, nearly 120 music fans came together to make this campaign a success, we couldn't have done it without this community. Your gift, no matter the size, has made a tremendous impact - THANK YOU! 

We're looking forward to sharing about the trip with this community, stay tuned for updates as head to Japan this Spring. 

Go Bruins!