The Alliance for California Traditional Arts and Radio Bilingüe invite you to join us for

Canciones del San Joaquín

as part of Sounds of California: San Joaquin Valley
Recording, archiving, and presenting the sounds of migration 

como parte de Sonidos de California — Valle de San Joaquin
Grabación, archivo y presentación de los sonidos de la migración

The Alliance for California Traditional Arts (ACTA) and Radio Bilingüe are proud to present Canciones del San Joaquín, a one-night-only concert celebrating the cultural and musical richness of the San Joaquin Valley.

As part of ACTA’s Sounds of California: San Joaquin Valley initiative, Canciones del San Joaquín will debut ten newly commissioned works by a diverse group of local composers and singers, representing a broad spectrum of regional and diasporic genres, including Chilena Tradicional, Hip-Hop/Mixtec Rap, Latin Rock, Afro Latin Jazz, Mariachi, Norteño, Nuevo Canto, Ranchera Mexicana, and Son Jarocho. A recorded compilation will be available after the concert performance.

Featured performers include:

Steve Alcalá Rumba 32 

Luis Arturo Campos, Los Kirrines del Norte 

Los Fresnanitos, with Cesar Castro

Agustin Lira, Agustín Lira & Friends 

Juan Morales, Mariachi Mestizo 

Sofía Plummer, Las Damas del Valle 

Gerardo Ramírez, Los Hijos de San Juan Mixtepec 

Marilyn Rodríguez, Cambio de Rumbo 

Miguel Villegas Ventura, Una Isu

The San Joaquin Valley is home to one of the largest and most culturally diverse Greater Mexico populations in the country. From songs accompanying migrant farmworker movements to hometown family-run mariachi bands, music here is more than entertainment—it’s a form of celebration, resistance, and survival. Canciones del San Joaquín brings this history into the present, offering a rare opportunity to hear new, original works that reflect life in the Valley today. These songs tell stories of migration, identity, joy, struggle, and home—infused with rhythms and genres as wide-ranging as the people who live here.

Each commissioned artist brings a unique voice and cultural lens to the stage—some rooted in longstanding traditions like norteño and mariachi music, others blending heritage with modern expression through Latin Rock or Hip-Hop/Mixtec Rap. Taken together, their performances represent a living archive of the Valley’s past, present, and future. This is music that moves with the people—music that honors memory and place while speaking boldly to now.

“This is music rooted in place and memory, but also in innovation,” said ACTA Executive Director Amy Kitchener. “These artists are not only preserving tradition—they’re expanding it, remixing it, and making it speak to today’s realities.”

This special evening invites audiences to experience the Valley’s diverse musical and cultural traditions sharing the same stage, fostering a powerful sense of connection through shared sound, story, and celebration.

View Press Kit

ACTA’s Sounds of California: San Joaquin Valley program was produced in partnership with Radio Bilingüe.

The Sounds of California: San Joaquin Valley program has been made possible in part by a major grant from the Fresno Arts Council, through the City of Fresno’s Measure P Expanded Access to Arts and Culture Fund.