Erik Ramirez

Erik M. Ramirez is a full-time Mariachi educator and has played violin, vihuela, trumpet, and guitar professionally.  Currently, Erik teaches Mariachi at West Prep Academy in the Clark County School District in Las Vegas, Nevada.  Erik is a leading national Mariachi education presenter and co-author of the ¡Simplemente Mariachi! Method Series for Beginners published by Northeastern Music Publications.  Erik grew up in East Chicago, Indiana, and went on to receive his Bachelor’s Degree from the University of Nevada Las Vegas.

Erik is the founder and music director for Mariachi Acero de Las Vegas, a professional touring Mariachi that has performed across the United States, including twice with the Elgin Symphony Orchestra (Elgin, IL).  Mariachi Acero de Las Vegas has received top accolades as Grand National Champions at the 2012 and 2013 Mariachi Nationals hosted by Mariachi Sol de Mexico de Jose Hernandez.  They also went on to take 1st place at the 2014 Battle of the Mariachis at San Juan Capistrano Mission in California.  Mariachi Acero de Las Vegas’s 2018 concert series took director Erik Ramirez and its members to venues all across the United States. The tour included performances in Chicago, Los Angeles, Reno, Milwaukee, and of course, Las Vegas, Nevada.  Mariachi Acero performed at the 2018 Chicago Mariachi Festival at the Jay Pritzker Pavilion at Millennium Park before an audience of 25,000 Mariachi aficionados.  The group has shared the stage with the greatest Mariachi ensembles in the world including Mariachi Vargas de Tecalitlan, Mariachi Nuevo Tecalitlan, Mariachi Sol de Mexico de Jose Hernandez, and Mariachi Los Camperos de Nati Cano.  They have also had the pleasure of accompanying top Latino artists such as Emmanuel, Jenni Rivera, Angeles Ochoa, Lorenzo de Monteclaro, Pancho Barraza, Maribel Guardia, Los Temerarios, Pablo Montero, Gerardo Ortiz, and Banda Limon, to name a few.