Mariachi artists such as Pedro Fernández, Ana Gabriel, and American born mariachi singer Pepe Aguilar and more. The educational movement is controversial with some trained in the traditional manner, who are skeptical about these programs and their potential to change the tradition. The changes, especially standardization of publishing, are slowing impacting mariachi in Mexico. One difficulty of arranging mariachi pieces is that the son jaliscense is based on alternates between and time. Much of the published mariachi music is meant for people already familiar with the music to serve as guides, not to novices. On the other hand, many schools have
Mariachi schools. In areas with large Mexican-American populations, mariachis are being hired for events outside this ethnic group as well. Outside of schools, the most important venue for the music in the United States is mariachi festivals with the longest running festivals in Tucson and Fresno. The Tucson International Mariachi Conference began in 1982. It originally was held in the downtown but in 2012 moved to the Casino Del Sol. It showcases over 500 elementary, middle, and high schools and college mariachi players. The Las Vegas International Mariachi Festival, established in 1991, is televised on Telemundo and PBS and has headlined