Javier Salinas, M.M., now serves as Lecturer of Latin American Music and Director of Mariachi Javelina for Texas A&M University-Kingsville. He joins us as a third-year D.M.A. trumpet student from The University of Texas at Austin where he served as the Teaching Assistant to the director of Mariachi Paredes de la Universidad de Tejas and was later appointed to Assistant Director in Spring of 2023. In Spring of 2022, Javier also joined the faculty at TAMUK as Adjunct Professor of Trumpet where he taught applied lessons and assisted with ensemble rehearsals. While Javier has experience in classical, baroque, and jazz performance styles, mariachi has remained prominent throughout his career. He has worked with numerous mariachi ensembles in Texas and Kentucky and has opened concerts for numerous ensembles such as Mariachi Garibaldi de Jamie Cuéllar, Mariachi Los Camperos, Mariachi Corona, Mariachi Internacional de México de Francisco J. Jara, and Mariachi Sol de México de José Hernández. In addition, Javier was selected to perform in the Mariachi Masters Showcase at the 2022 Mariachi Spectacular de Albuquerque festival.  

Mr. Salinas was the winner of the 2022 MEP Mariachi Trumpet Etude Contest and was awarded a contract to compose an etude book from Mariachi Education Press. Javier currently serves as President of The International Foundation of Mariachi Pedagogy and Performance. He is also the Student Feature column editor for The International Journal of Mariachi Pedagogy and Performance and is a book reviewer for The International Trumpet Guild Journal. Mr. Salinas obtained his Master of Music degree from the University of Kentucky in 2021 and his Bachelor of Music degree in 2018 from Texas A&M University-Kingsville. Javier Salinas is very grateful for the tutelage of many wonderful teachers, including Monica Fogelquist, Billy Hunter, Jason Dovel, and Kyle Millsap. 

He is originally from San Benito, TX, and loves to read, spend time outdoors, and exercise.