MARIACHI SOL DE LISBOA
What is a mariachi made of?
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A profound dedication in every performance, where a love for music blends with the pursuit of excellence.
In two lines...
Mariachi Sol de Lisboa was born from the desire of Mexican singer Jacqueline Mercado to promote the true traditional music of Mexico in Portugal, combating stereotypes and promoting the cultural richness of mariachi. Founded in 2019, the group is the result of a long journey dedicated to Latin American music. With an authentic repertoire and a deep respect for tradition, the group became the first mixed mariachi group in Portugal, committed to representing this intangible heritage of humanity with dignity.
Musicians
Jacqueline Mercado
Vihuela
Jacqueline is a Mexican singer, cultural producer, and music researcher. She holds a law degree from the National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM) and completed a second degree in Music Education at the same university's Faculty of Music. With scholarships from UNAM and the Camões Institute, she developed a project on Fado and copyright between Mexico and Portugal.
In 2009, he created the multicultural theater, dance, and music group, La Catrina, dedicated to the dissemination of Mexican culture. Founder of Mariachi Sol de Lisboa, she promotes traditional Mexican music at cultural events and institutions in Europe. She also created the projects María Tango Quartet (tango and Argentine folklore) and El Vuelo del Colibrí, exploring the connection between childhood and popular culture.
She co-founded the groups Espírito Nativo and Crocodilo Criollo, incorporating Afro-Peruvian influences. She was recognized by the Peruvian Consulate in Frankfurt for her work with Peruvian music. She attends to every detail with genuine respect for the richness of Mexican culture.
Rui Meira
Guitar
Born in Lisbon and holding a doctorate in Chemistry, he began his musical studies at the Academia de Amadores de Música and the Conservatório Nacional (guitar). Later, he dedicated himself to the music of Hispanic America and explored instruments such as the charango , the Venezuelan cuatro , and the guitarra de son . He deepened his study of the guitar with musicians and researchers such as Juan Martinez, Sebastián Castro, and Mário Rui Silva (musical genres of Angola).
Over the years, he has collaborated with Latin musicians of various origins, consolidating his mastery of each style. With the Crocodilo Criollo project, he was selected to participate as an International Guest Band in the 2nd Festival of Afro-Peruvian Music in Peru. He shared the stage with Angolan singer-songwriter Waldemar Bastos for several years in concerts in the United States, Europe, and Angola. He regularly participates in studio and live performances with singer-songwriter Pedro Branco, and in the "Volver" show by the Tangomanso group. He founded the Espírito Nativo collective, with which he received formal recognition from the Peruvian consulate in Frankfurt for his contribution to the dissemination of Peruvian music.
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Edison Otero
Trumpet
He practices bodybuilding and loves a good tequila! Originally from Colombia, he holds a degree in music from the Autonomous University of Bucaramanga and a master's degree in Jazz from the Lisbon Higher School of Music. His training also includes the traditions of Colombian folklore (winds and percussion). As a member of the group Cabuya, he won the first national prize for rock composition from the Ministry of Culture, Colombia, and was nominated for the 2007 Imput award (Lugano, Switzerland) with a socially conscious video. He also won first prize at the O. Music international music competition in 2004 (Mexico). He was also a member of the UNAB Symphony Orchestra in Colombia.
He is currently the pedagogical director of the New Music School and the musical director of the Hotel Europa Theatre Company. He is a member of the groups Espírito Nativo, Mariachi Sol de Lisboa, Orquestra La Tremenda Sonora, and Quarteto de Areia.
Denys Stetsenko
Violin
He loves photography, European dances, and is always on a bicycle! Born in Ukraine, Denys Stetsenko comes from a family with a musical tradition and completed his classical training in Portugal, in modern and baroque violin, under the guidance of masters such as Felix Andrievsky, Enrico Onofri, and Amandine Beyer. Alongside classical music, he dedicates himself to world music, participating in projects related to Portuguese, European, tango, and Latin American music. He founded the Arabesco Quartet, the Stetsenko Duo, and Parapente700.
He has shared stages and recording studios with Sete Lágrimas, Os Músicos do Tejo, Orquestra Barroca da Casa da Música, Martin Sued & Orquestra Assintomática, Espírito Nativo, Pedro Jóia, Rodrigo Leão, Rita Redshoes, Dead Combo, Benjamin Clementine, among others.
He taught for 17 years at the Santa Cecília Music Academy and was an associate professor at ESMAE (2011-2014). Since 2011, he has led traditional music courses in several countries and, since 2015, has been part of the mentoring team of Ethno Portugal, an international artistic residency for young musicians.
Bruno Almeida
Tenor
When she's not singing, she dedicates herself to the history of science! Originally from Lisbon, she studied singing with Filomena Amaro, Isabel Biu, Paulo Ferreira and Luís Rodrigues, in addition to advanced courses.
He made his opera debut in 2010 with the Sintra Opera Studio and joined the São Carlos National Theatre Opera Studio in 2011. He has performed roles such as First Security Guard (*Banksters*), Count of Lerma (*Don Carlos*), Don Ottavio (*Don Giovanni*), Alfredo (*La Traviata*) and Cavaradossi (*Tosca*). In musical theatre, he played Phantom (*The Phantom of the Opera*) and Jean Valjean (*Les Misérables*). He has sung works such as *Magnificat* (Bach), *Requiem* (Mozart), *Messiah* (Handel) and *Symphony No. 9* (Beethoven). He performs in recitals and festivals such as the Verdi 200 Gala (Bayreuth) and the Brighton Early Music Festival. Founder of Project Alba, since 2024 he has been a member of the international group The Italian Tenors.
Heriberto Rojas
Guitarrón
He loves building and repairing things in general, like… his own guitarrón! Which happens to be called "Malandrón"! A versatile musician, he began his training at the University of the Andes, where he founded the ULA University Student Association. In 1992 he moved to Caracas, where he studied Double Bass and Mandolin at the Simón Bolívar Conservatory and at Ars Nova, with masters such as Ma. Eugenia Atilano and Gonzalo Micó.
He dedicated himself to composition and was a finalist in the II Young Composers Salon. He participated in seminars with John Patitucci, Eddie Gómez, and Janek Gwizdala. In 2002, he moved to New York, joining the BMI Jazz Composer workshop and studying with John Benítez. He performed at international festivals and recorded with groups such as Los Sinvergüenzas and Grupo Onkora.
He has lived in Lisbon since 2016, where he is involved in projects such as 24 Robbers Swing Band and Invisible Tuba, teaches, and works as a freelance musician and arranger.
Diogo Oliveira
Baritone
Born in Lisbon, Diogo Oliveira holds a degree in Language and Knowledge Engineering from the University of Lisbon. He studied singing at the National Conservatory with José Carlos Xavier and furthered his studies with various masters. He has performed in recitals and oratorios with works by Schubert, Elgar, Haydn, Berlioz, and Dvořák, under the direction of conductors such as Nikolay Lalov and Osvaldo Ferreira.
He won the Luisa Todi National Singing Competition in 2005 and made his debut as Marullo in *Rigoletto*. He has sung in operas such as *Don Giovanni*, *Le nozze di Figaro*, *Madama Butterfly*, and *La Traviata*, standing out at the Teatro Nacional de São Carlos.
In concert, he performed works such as Charpentier's *Te Deum*, Orff's *Carmina Burana*, and *Candide*. He presented David del Puerto's *Sol de Invierno* at the Teatro del Canal (Madrid) and at the CCB with the group Drumming.
Jean-Marc Charmier
Trumpet
... il court, il court le furet! Jean-Marc is passionate about running! Holding a degree in Jazz Performance from the University of Évora, he studied at the Conservatoires of Clermont-Ferrand and Vichy (France) in Musical Training, Analysis, Composition, trumpet and piano. He studied Jazz with Henry Bruserio and Jack Labrunie, and collaborated with the Montpellier Jazz School.
He has performed with bands such as Jazz Fancy, Karolus, and Baby Boum, the latter of which was awarded the Grand Prix de l'Académie Charles Cros. He composed the original music for the show *Doberman*, directed by Mauricio Celedon. In Portugal, he has collaborated with artists such as Fernando Tordo, Rui Veloso, Jorge Palma, Paulo Gonzo, Mariachi Sol de Lisboa, and Laurent Filipe.
He is a piano and wind instrument teacher at Musicentro (Salesianos de Lisboa). Co-composer and trumpeter on the CD *Snug as a Gun* by the band Imi Kollektief, considered the 2nd best jazz album of 2007 by Jazz.pt magazine and featured in the *Penguin Guide to Jazz Recordings*.
Marian Yanchyk
Violin
Marian Yanchyk enjoys philately and... audio cassettes! Born in Lviv, Ukraine, he began studying violin and piano at age 6. In 2005 he moved to Portugal, where he studied at conservatories in Seia, Bragança, and Faro.
Based in Lisbon since 2010, she has developed a career marked by musical diversity. In 2014, she dedicated herself to gypsy jazz and traditional Eastern European music, studying with masters such as Tcha Limberger.
He is involved in projects such as Manouchka, Orquestra TODOS, Mariachi Sol de Lisboa, Hot Club Internacional, and others. He has performed with artists such as Yamandu Costa, Sam The Kid, and Wawau Adler. He has participated in international festivals such as the Piracicaba Manouche Jazz Festival (Brazil), March Manouche (Wales), and In the Palace (Bulgaria), where he won the award for best performer. Today, he is one of the leading names in manouche jazz and traditional Eastern European music in Portugal.
Walter Sand
Double bass
Walter looks serious in this photo, but in reality he loves raising fish and plants, and enjoys the feeling of touching the earth! A graduate of the Pernambuco Conservatory of Music, Walter Areia has collaborated with international artists such as Steinar Aadnekvam, Antonio Arnedo, and Tony Allen, and has performed with Alceu Valença, Naná Vasconcelos, and Nação Zumbi. He was a member of Mundo Livre S/A.
In Lisbon since 2016, in addition to important musical collaborations, including with Mara, Karlos Rotsen, Espírito Nativo, Carlos Menezes, Fred Martins, Pierre Aderne (Rua das Pretas), Valéria Carvalho, Larry John McNally and Matteo Saggese, he has also led his jazz quartet, called “Quarteto de Areia”.
He received the "Order of Cultural Merit" (2005) and the "Brazilian Music Award" (2012).
Raidel González
Trumpet
A musician and educator with a solid background in trumpet, he began his studies at the "Ñola Sahíg Sainz" Vocational School of Art (1991–1996), completing his technical level at the "José White" Professional School and graduating from the Higher Institute of Arts, Havana (2006). From 2000 to 2013, he was a teacher and pedagogical director at music schools in Cuba, participating in festivals such as Cubadisco and collaborating with symphony orchestras. Between 2013 and 2019, he worked in Angola as artistic director of the "Show do Mês," collaborating with names such as Paulo Flores, Waldemar Bastos, and Matias Damásio. He taught trumpet, piano, and ensemble practice at various institutions. Since 2020, in Portugal, he has performed with artists such as Mariachi Sol de Lisboa, Paulo Flores, Tito Paris, Tabanka D´jazz, Victor Zamora and Septeto Cuba, and has participated in recordings of several albums by Paulo Flores. He also stands out as an arranger and musical director.
