University offers 22-credit minor as demand for mariachi educators grows.

Axel Rodríguez Olivas nervously steps on stage, carrying a violin. He raises his bow and begins to play, his nerves melting away. Mariachi music explodes throughout the room as violins, trumpets, the guitarrón, and a stringed instrument called the vihuela launch into an upbeat melody. There they are joined by a warm voice as a tenor begins to sing. The 20-year-old musician is set to become the first student to graduate with a minor in mariachi from the University of Nevada Las Vegas, one of the only universities in the country to offer such a niche specialization.

The Elisa Gastelum Memorial Foundation is keeping young musicians' dreams alive by awarding mariachi scholarships to Las Vegas students, including one UNLV student who hopes to become a teacher himself.

For Irvin Garcia, mariachi music has been part of his life since sixth grade. Saturday, his trumpet joined the sounds filling Craig Ranch Regional Park as North Las Vegas kicked off Hispanic Heritage Month.

Pepe Jimenez articulates what has been in my head for years regarding the UNLV Jazz and Commercial Music shows at Ham Hall.

Students from UNLV’s Colleges of Fine Arts and Education collaborated to create hands-on learning experiences for children enrolled at the Lynn Bennett Early Childhood Education Center.

The Spring Jazz Festival approaches. The three-night celebration of jazz, featuring UNLV’s top student ensembles and guest artists, returns to Ham Hall from Monday through Wednesday.

Founder of UNLV's World Chamber Music Ensemble Tianxi Wen speaks to FOX5 about a Lunar New Year concert.

In a city known for hospitality, it's imperative to create the best atmospheres for dining, and that includes picking the best tunes. That's why a professor and sommelier are teaming up at UNLV to teach an elective course: "The Aesthetics of Music and Wine."

Black singers historically have not had an easy path to acceptance in opera. It wasn't until 1955 that the Metropolitan Opera featured its first Black singer in a leading role in Marian Anderson. Before that, Black singers had only been featured in supplementary roles or in the chorus on the Met stage. Other legends, like Jessye Norman and Leontyne Price, were among the first Black opera singers to achieve international acclaim, and are also considered trailblazers in this genre, which has taken a long time to embrace Black voices.

Over 16 seasons, Vegas City Opera has grown its audience base by doing things a little differently.

For 25 years, Nevada Conservatory Theatre has served as UNLV’s “lab” for theater arts. Executive Director Kirsten Brandt says the original mission of the training program was to create an intersection for research and professional practice.