Española Valley High School’s mariachi band played once for Barack Obama when he was a presidential candidate. Now the band might get to play for him as president.
The band is being considered by the president-elect’s office to perform at his Inauguration Day parade, a senior official for Obama’s state campaign confirmed.
“I’m excited,” sophomore Santiago Espinoza, who sings and plays vihuela in the band, said. “Not everybody gets a chance like this.”
Band director Alfonso Trujillo said Mackey Dykes, an official from Obama’s presidential inaugural committee, told him if the band can raise the funds it needs to travel to Washington, D.C. on Jan. 20, the students are “pretty well-assured of being able to participate.”
“I told him that of course, we’d certainly be interested in being part of the inaugural parade, I’d just have to check with parents and school personnel first,” Trujillo said.
Española School Board Vice President Floyd Archuleta, who said he spoke with Obama’s staff Dec. 5, also said the band’s Jan. 20 performance is a done deal.
“I just knew they wanted somebody from New Mexico,” Archuleta said. “But after they talked to our band director and superintendent, it’s a ‘go’ now, it’s for sure.”
That leaves the band with about 40 days to raise the roughly $20,000 it needs for the trip, Trujillo said.