PUSD’s very own Mariachi band, Estrella de Pueblo, is performing at Pleasanton Middle School for the middle schoolers to enjoy on March 10.

Estrella de pueblo is one of PUSD’s most successful programs and helps many lower-income students participate in group performances, practices, and even receive help with their schoolwork.  

“Our official name is Mariachi Estrella de Pueblo. Estrella de Pueblo is “star of the community,” and it came about when we started the program at Village High School, and since the logo has a star in it, we named it Estrella. Pueblo stands for the community that our band is supporting.” Sofia Krulevitch (21’)

Sofia’s mom was one of the original founders of the program and helped create the band in 2015 at Village High School.

This coming week, the mariachi band has the opportunity to play at Pleasanton Middle School. Seeing old students and performing to younger students was an opportunity to which the band couldn’t resist.

“I was always really excited to go and perform at PMS because that’s where I went to school, so it is always great to see the teachers that I used to have and perform for they can see how much I’ve grown, and see the students that are younger, in middle school, and to see how much they’ve grown also,” said Krulevitch.

It takes hard work, talent, and most of all, the correct influences to become a main and functioning member of the Mariachi band.

Many of the mariachi band members take influence from mariachi artists before them while also enjoying writing their own music.

“My biggest influences when playing songs are usually just the people who wrote them before me. When I write my own music, I try to go for something that isn’t as used, because a lot of mariachi is repeated. It’s like the same three notes repeated in different orders, and it’s the way you play it that changes it, so I try to take those three or four notes and play it my own way when I write my own music,” said Dane Coolidge (22’). 

Estrella de Pueblo’s performance at PMS is just one example of how the PUSD mariachi band can bring people together, especially the students, parents, and family of our Latino community here in Pleasanton.