Guadalajara arr. Raul Dominguez

Recording

English

Guadalajara,

You are the soul of the province

You smell of a clean, morning rose

and green rockrose fresh from the river.

You are home to a thousand doves.

Guadalajara, Guadalajara

The aroma of the freshly watered soil.

Oh, distant Colomitos

Oh, little eyes of the water, brothers

Oh, unforgettable Colomitos

Unforgettable like the evenings

when the rain from the hill

would not let us go to Zapopan.

Oh, Tlaquepaque, little town

The aroma from your pitchers

make sweet tepache taste cooler,

for the birria next to the mariachis

and in the markets and pottery houses

resound with sad melancholy.

Oh, Lagoon of Chapala

You have the magic of stories

Of remarkable sunsets and dawns

Of moonlit nights in love

Be still Lagoon of Chapala

Romantic sweetheart like no other.

Oh, beautiful Guadalajara

I would like to tell you something

You who conserve water from wells

And your people, the most beautiful

Guadalajara, Guadalajara

You have the most Mexican of souls.

Composition

Guadalajara is an arrangement of the famous mariachi tune, “Guadalajara,” composed by Pepe Guízar and first popularized by Lucha Reyes, the “mother of ranchera music.” Pepe’s music is filled with pride for different areas and aspects of this Mexican province as well as the people of Jalisco.

This arrangement is available for piano or mariachi ensemble (two trumpets, three violins, vihuela, and guitarron). Parts available at lavozmusicpublishing.com. Directors should choose one version but should not perform with both.

Stylistic traits include the feel of 6/8 against 3/4 found in the left hand of the piano or the guitarron part. Singers should use their full voice (modify as necessary for your group) to convey the text. Emotive singing can be punctuated with gritos, a spontaneous burst of expression similar to a yell, a laugh, and/or a cry during the interludes.

Composer

Raul Dominguez is the Associate Director of Choral Studies at Pacific Lutheran University (PLU) in the Tacoma, WA area where he conducts the University Chorale (mixed), University Singers (treble), and teaches three levels of conducting and Repertoire & Rehearsal Techniques for secondary choral music education majors. He is also the Artistic Director for Choral Union, PLU’s community ensemble. Prior to PLU, he served as the Director of Choral Activities at Regis University, in Denver, CO, where he conducted the Regis University Singers, led the Voice Area, mentored music education students, and taught a Fine Arts course, Mexican Music: Purpose & Identity. During his time in Denver, he also led Timberline, the elementary segment of Denver Children’s Choir alongside fabulous musicians, Festival Chorus at CU Boulder, and, for four years, was the Associate Artistic Director of the Denver Gay Men’s Chorus.

In 2022, Raul graduated with his Doctor of Musical Arts in Choral Conducting and Literature from CU Boulder with Dr. Gregory Gentry and Dr. Elizabeth Swanson. Prior, he earned his Master of Music from Ithaca College in New York in 2019 where he studied with Dr. Janet Galván. He taught at Clear Lake High School for four years in his hometown of Houston, TX after graduating from Oklahoma City University with his Bachelor of Music degrees in Music Education and Vocal Performance with Dr. Randi von Ellefson and Judith Willoughby. His ensembles have sung with the Houston Symphony, Houston Chamber Choir, at Carnegie Hall, on the balcony of the Colorado State Capitol for the inauguration of Governor Jared Polis, and alongside RuPaul’s Drag Race season 11 winner, Yvie Oddly.

Raul lives in the beautiful Tacoma, WA area with his wonderful husband Kevin and their two cats, Luci and Ahsoka

Publisher

La Voz Music Publishing