UNLV’s College of Fine Arts Hall of Fame has honored many Strip entertainers in its 20-year history. But the annual event itself has never played the Strip.

For the students of the Las Vegas High School Mariachi Joya, their excitement for class is palpable. “It’s something I always look forward to every day, picking up my instrument and playing,” the group’s Student Director, Axel Rodriguez-Olivas says. The UNLV-bound student says his dream is to teach mariachi music to others, and, luckily for him, he’ll now be able to further his mariachi education without having to leave the valley. UNLV will be offering its first mariachi program starting this fall, led by Las Vegas High School’s Mariachi Joya Director Stephen Blanco.

UNLV’s School of Music announced several new classes for the fall semester focused on mariachi. The program will be overseen by Stephen Blanco, who founded Las Vegas High School’s mariachi program in 2018.

The visual and performing arts are in full swing throughout the state. Making good on its promises to bring more activity and people to Commercial Center, Clark County has just launched a program with UNLV, which will produce cultural events at the East Sahara complex.

What’s Cool At School? How about hundreds of high school jazz students from around the western U-S at UNLV.

The National First Ladies’ Library and Museum will host the world premiere of a new set of musical compositions inspired by the First Ladies of the United States on Sunday, October 15, at 2:00 p.m. with its partners at the Christ Presbyterian Church, 530 Tuscarawas Street in Canton, Ohio.

There's hometown pride across the valley, not only for our guys in gold but for our Golden Pipes. Carnell Johnson boasts Rebel pride as a UNLV grad.

For Taras Krysa, music is a universal language, one we can all share and understand. “The audience gets it also, not through the spoken word but through the sounds which goes directly through the heart, mind, and soul and I think it’s an incredibly powerful experience.”

Who's ready to listen to some jazz music?

It has been more than six months now since the war in Ukraine began. Following it from the beginning, Taras Krysa, the Director of Orchestras at UNLV. FOX5 spoke to the professor and conductor the day Russian troops pushed into Ukraine while he was still in disbelief it actually happened. After traveling to the country, Krysa now he believes Ukrainian forces are finally starting to prevail.

Taking your partner somewhere special on a date is a wonderful way to show you care. You show your ability to put in effort, think outside the box, and make the time you spend together as unique as they are. But as a college student, you may not have the money or even the transportation to do many of the typical activities one would expect on a nicer date. The expense of going to fancy restaurants, concerts, and other shows on a regular basis is likely unsustainable. This is especially true for college students in a city like Las Vegas, where many of the local shows and productions are intended for vacationers willing to spend a good deal of money.

Conducted by Ukrainian-born Taras Krys, UNLV Symphony Orchestra performs "For Ukraine" concert on March 27.