ESTUDIANTINAS of ALAMOS

The Estudiantinas are a benchmark of the January music festival called FAOT (Festival de  Alfonso Ortiz Tirado).  FAOT is put on by the Sonoran Cultural Institute. Year after year it celebrates Dr. Alfonso Ortiz Tirado, in this southern city of the state of Sonora.  With 23 years of experience and fifteen active members, the Estudiantinas parade through the narrow streets of Alamos dedicating serenades to beloved Alamos characters such as Maria Felix and Tirado. These music parades are called callejoneadas.  According to Rafael Jesus Figueroa Ju “El Payo”, director and accordionist, the Estudiantinas have traveled to many Mexican cities as well as California and Arizona in the United States. This musical spectacle passing through the alleys of poplars, after which Alamos is named, combines double steps, Latin American music and even songs from singers/songwriters Vicente Fernandez and Joaquin Sabina.