About CSMC

1. Integrity

We uphold honesty, transparency, and fairness in all judging, operations, and organizational decisions.

2. Respect

We honor every ensemble, director, student, culture, and tradition within the mariachi community.

3. Excellence

We strive to elevate musicianship, artistry, and performance quality at all levels.

4. Education

We believe competition should support learning, growth, and the development of young musicians.

5. Cultural Pride

We celebrate and preserve the rich heritage of mariachi through meaningful, culturally rooted performance opportunities.

6. Inclusion

We welcome programs of all sizes, backgrounds, and skill levels across California’s diverse communities.

7. Safety & Well-Being

We prioritize safe, organized environments where students can perform with confidence.

8. Community

We foster positive connections between schools, community groups, directors, families, and audiences statewide.

The California State Mariachi Circuit (CSMC) exists to advance mariachi performance through structured, fair, and educational competition opportunities for ensembles across California. Founded under the South Bay Youth Performing Arts organization, CSMC provides a statewide platform where middle schools, high schools, colleges, and community ensembles can showcase their musicianship in a safe, respectful, and culturally rooted environment.

CSMC works to elevate the artistic standards of mariachi while supporting programs of all sizes, from new ensembles taking the stage for the first time to established groups striving for higher levels of excellence. Through a season of adjudicated events held exclusively in professional indoor performance venues, the circuit emphasizes consistent judging, integrity, and meaningful growth for all performers.

With a mission focused on fairness, education, and cultural pride, CSMC aims to become California’s leading standard for mariachi competition and performance, inspiring the next generation of musicians and strengthening communities across the great State of California.

Welcome to the California State Mariachi Circuit.

My journey to founding the California State Mariachi Circuit began long before the idea had a name. Growing up, I was fortunate to be part of both worlds: marching band at my middle and high school, and mariachi with a community nonprofit group, Mariachi Alma Juvenil in Lawndale, California. These two musical paths shaped who I am, and they opened my eyes to something important.

In marching band, from high school field shows all the way up to the professional level in DCI and WGI, there is a clear season, a circuit, a structure. There are competitions that build toward championships. There is a shared standard, a shared excitement, and a sense that every performance is part of something bigger.

But in mariachi, while I saw amazing competitions, I didn’t see a true circuit, a season, a statewide structure, or a path that brings groups together and leads to a culminating championship experience. I saw students, including myself, working incredibly hard, but without the kind of organized opportunities that marching band students take for granted.

And I knew something needed to change.

I created the California State Mariachi Circuit because mariachi deserves that same level of respect, structure, and celebration. I wanted to build something that honors tradition while giving students meaningful opportunities to grow. A circuit that supports every ensemble, from small beginning groups to the largest, most advanced programs. A place where students can feel the same excitement, pride, and statewide recognition that marching band students experience each year.

And what better place to do it than California?

This is a state where mariachi is not just music. It’s heritage, culture, and identity woven into the lives of the people who live here. California is one of the greatest cultural landscapes in the world, and mariachi is a vital part of it. I am proud to call this state home, and even prouder to build something that supports its musicians.

My hope is that the California State Mariachi Circuit becomes a meaningful chapter in the story of mariachi in our state, a place where students are inspired, programs are supported, and traditions are honored for generations to come.

Thank you for joining us in this new history.

Thank you for believing in the future of mariachi.

And welcome to the California State Mariachi Circuit , where tradition meets opportunity.

— Jonathan Minquiz

Founder, California State Mariachi Circuit

President & Founder, South Bay Youth Performing Arts

November of 2025

president@sbypa.org