ABOUT US
Our Story
What started as occasional coaching in school music outreach programs from 2000-2006, turned into the 'Latin American Music Project' with two all-age ensembles: a Mariachi and an Afro-Cuban Ensemble (ACE). In 2010, the LAMP became the 'City Heights Music School' as more instruments and levels were required to meet the demand for music education in City Heights. In 2016, CHMS was adopted by the Youth Philharmonic Orchestra and continues to flourish under the direction of Victoria Eicher.
Victoria Eicher, Founder/Artistic Director
I grew up in Minneapolis and studied at MacPhail Center for the Arts, starting at the early age of 3 in its Musical Trolley program and continuing to the age of 14 as a student of Suzuki Violin. With three siblings also enrolled at MacPhail, I spent a lot of time in its huge lobby area surrounded by musicians and dancers coming and going to class, and in the upper floor hallways outside of the studios of private lesson teachers. My mother, a small-town girl from northern Minnesota, played piano and always loved the violin. So there I was, at the age of 4, with a chopstick for a bow and a ruler taped to a tissue box for a violin! That’s how it all began...
OUR ARTISTIC FACULTY
Victoria Eicher, Artistic Director
Mario Eguia, CHMS Assistant Director and Mariachi Victoria Director
Mario Eguia, CHMS Assistant Director and Mariachi Victoria Director
Violin, Piano, City Strings, Mariachi Victoria
Victoria Eicher grew up in Minneapolis and began playing violin at the age of 4 in the Suzuki program at MacPhail Center for the Arts. She has performed with the La Jolla Symphony & Chorus, Orquestra de Baja California, Mariachi Champana Nevin, Caprice Strings, and in chamber ensemble programs throughout San Diego. In 2010, Ms. Victoria founded the City Heights Music School and opened her home studio for private lessons in violin and piano.
Click on Ms. Victoria's picture for a short video!
Mario Eguia, CHMS Assistant Director and Mariachi Victoria Director
Mario Eguia, CHMS Assistant Director and Mariachi Victoria Director
Mario Eguia, CHMS Assistant Director and Mariachi Victoria Director
Guitar, Trumpet, Mariachi Victoria
Mario Eguia teaches in the Sweetwater Unified School District and serves as a Curriculum Consultant for the Visual and Performing Arts Program. In 2020, he joined the faculty of Classics4Kids, sharing his passion for Mariachi music in schools throughout San Diego. Mr. Eguia began playing mariachi under the tutelage of Ruben Baldenegro and, at a young age, was performing with professional mariachi ensembles in Mexicali, Imperial Valley, Coachella Valley, San Diego, and Los Angeles.
Click on Mr. Mario's picture for a short video!
Carlos Castañeda
Mariachi Prep
Guitar, Vihuela, Trumpet, Guitarron, Violin
With a Masters in Music Education, Carlos brings an amazing foundation and resource to the MVSD program and CHMS. An award-winning teacher and performer, he has directed several performing arts competitions and talent shows, and is certified in Kodaly, Orff, and Paul Rolland String Pedagogy
Voice, Piano, and Ukulele
Lorelei Isidro-Garner studied Voice Performance at SDSU and has taught music enrichment programs for over 20 years. Lorelei is the new Choir Teacher at Mission Bay High, a Music Enrichment teacher at Hickman Elementary School and a private instructor for voice, piano, and ukulele.
Lorelei is a composer and creator of the “ZipZapZoogle Music Enrichment Program”.
Click on her picture for a short video!
Ruben Hernandez
Drums - Artists in Schools
Ruben Hernandez's training includes a wide range of styles and genres. He teaches Percussion and Composition at the San Diego Youth Symphony, the Tijuana Youth Symphony, San Diego Unified School District, and the San Diego Symphony. He also serves as the Percussion Specialist every year for the LA Philharmonic's YOLA National Festival.
Amanda Limon
Piano
Amanda began her piano training at age 5 with concert pianist Farizat Tchiviroba in Tijuana, Baja California. She holds a Bachelor's in Piano Performance from SDSU. She has twice earned first prize for her Bienal Estatal de Piano performances in Mexicali, Baja California. Active as a recitalist, chamber member, and teacher in Chula Vista, she has also studied the Alexander Technique and received her Suzuki Method certification.
Amy Long
Music123 - Sing!
Bio coming soon!
Analia Romero
World Music - Artists in Schools
Analia is a classical and Afro-Latin vocalist based in Carlsbad, California. As a researcher, she is interested in mariachi music direction and education, Afro-Cuban vocal styles in the 1930’s and Afro-Peruvian jazz music of the 1970’s. Her M.M. is in Afro-Latin from Cal State LA. She is also co-founder of Mariachi Mar y Sol and was a Spanish and Music educator for the Montessori Charter Schools of Flagstaff Arizona.
Juan Sanchez
Drum Power
Juan began his Latin percussion studies at SDSU under the direction of Mark Lamson. In 2004, he founded the longest running Afro-Cuban Drumming program in San Diego at the World Beat Cultural Center. In 2006, Sanchez travelled to Cuba where he was formally introduced to Afro-Cuban music with Pepito Fernandez, a local rumbero from the Calljon de Jamel. Juan returned to work with various high and middle school drumlines in the South Bay.
Alex Tapia
Guitar and Drums
Alejandro Tapia holds a Master's degree in Music Education with an emphasis in Social Emotional learning and is proficient on several instruments including strings, percussion, brass, woodwinds, piano, voice, and classical guitar. He performed with ‘Jarabe Mexicano’ and toured throughout the U.S. and internationally to Los Cabos, La Paz, and Mexico City. Mr. Tapia currently teaches Guitar, Mariachi, and Choir at Bonita Vista Middle School.
Auburn Williams
Music123 - Sing!
Bio coming soon!
OUR AMAZING STAFF
Marilyn Lopez-Eguia - Program Development Specialist
Armando Castillo - Program Assistant
Marleen Gaxiola - Graphic Designer