NYU Students Launch Mariachi Violetas Club
Founded by a student to combat homesickness, the ensemble has grown to twenty members in New York City.
Updated on Sept. 30, 2026 in Latin
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Diego Quintanilla founded the NYU Mariachi Violetas club to foster a connection to his culture after moving to New York City. The ensemble has since expanded from its initial nine members to approximately twenty performers.
Why it matters
The club provides a vital space for students to engage with Latin American musical traditions while far from home. It serves as a rare collegiate outlet for this genre in the region, with the next closest university ensemble located over 200 miles away.
The Mariachi Violetas grew from nine initial members to approximately 20 active participants. The group is notably distant from other campus ensembles, located 211 miles from the nearest college mariachi band at Harvard University.
The players
Diego Quintanilla
He is a student at NYU Tandon who founded the Mariachi Violetas club to maintain a connection to his cultural roots.
Carlos Chirinos
He serves as the Director of the NYU Music and Social Change Lab.
Erik Arellano
He is a current member who joined the university mariachi ensemble within the last year.
The details
Diego Quintanilla recruited students and identified professors of Latin American descent to gauge interest and build the ensemble. Since its inception, the group has achieved significant milestones, including a performance at Carnegie Hall, and has seen leadership transitions as Quintanilla stepped down as director.
Timeline
During his first year of college, Quintanilla researched faculty and recruited students to form the group.
The ensemble added member Erik Arellano during the last year.
Industry Dynamics
The formation of this group highlights how student-led initiatives help preserve regional musical traditions like those of Jalisco, Mexico, within modern university settings. This trend suggests a growing desire for cultural representation in extracurricular collegiate arts programs.
Students and faculty can attend performances at various venues, including prestigious sites like Carnegie Hall. The expansion of the club provides more opportunities for the campus community to experience live traditional music throughout the academic year.
The takeaway
Creating community-focused arts clubs can effectively bridge the gap between a student's home culture and their new academic environment. Such groups also offer participants unique opportunities to develop musical skills while building long-lasting social connections.
Further reading
Discover more cultural programming in the Latin section.
Source note: This article includes information reported by Washington Square News.
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