Event Date
- Gamelan Ensemble • Heni Savitri, director
- Mariachi Los Mesteños • Oscar Garibay
Free
About the Artists
Heni Savitri began to study sindhènan (Javanese singing with gamelan) in 2002. In 2003 she won the competition for best singer in her native district of Wonogiri, Central Java. She entered the Performing Arts Conservatory in Surakarta in 2004 and began representing the institution in competitions the following year, as well as performing in shadow plays. Upon enrolling in the Indonesian Arts Academy in Surakarta she was selected as the singer for many recordings of new faculty compositions and traditional works, representing the academy in the 2008 international vocal competition in Jakarta. She has recently been performing with gamelan groups in the United States, including at the Indonesian Consulate in New York City, at Tufts University, Cornell University, the Indonesian Embassy in Washington D.C., Earlham College, Friends of the Gamelan Chicago, and with Sumunar Gamelan in Minnesota.
Oscar Garibay is recognized as a versatile musician. As a classical instrumentalist, Garibay has won several concerto competitions and toured internationally with various orchestras and bands. In his role as a mariachi musician, Garibay has performed on tour with the Grammy Award-winning Mariachi Los Camperos. He has also accompanied critically acclaimed artists, including Steven Sandoval, Shaila Dúrcal, Lupita Infante, Ana Bárbara, Yuri, Beatriz Adriana, Juan Valentín, Leo Dan, and many others.
Garibay is a pioneer in mariachi education. Under the mentorship of José Hernandez, the director of Mariachi Sol de México, Garibay became one of the founding teachers of the José Hernandez Mariachi Academy. This experience led to his appointment as Orange County’s first full-time mariachi director. He currently serves as the director of Santa Ana College’s Mariachi Dons, CSU Fullerton’s Mariachi Titans, and Chapman University’s Mariachi Panteras, all of which are Orange County collegiate ensembles.
Garibay also owns and directs five professional mariachi groups between Orange and Sacramento counties. His company serves as a bridge between student musicians and the professional mariachi industry, offering a pathway for student artists to become professional mariachis.
In addition to his commitments in Southern California, Garibay serves as a teaching artist for the Northwest Mariachi Festival, where he mentors the next generation of mariachi students in Washington state. He also collaborates closely with his hometown roots in the Davis Joint Unified School District.