Robert Lucero

A native of northern New Mexico, Robert began playing music as soon as he could stand and reach the keys on the old upright player piano in his parents’ home.  Coming from a musical family where he played and sang ranchera music on guitar, trumpet, keyboards, acordeón, and vocals with primos y primas, he also trained in classical piano and symphonic band trumpet.  Robert first began playing mariachi in high school with Mariachi Española, directed by his late father, Robert “Bobby” Lucero.

After leaving New Mexico for college, he founded, in the fall of 1994, and directed, until the spring of 1998, el Mariachi Cardenal de Stanford, which continues to perform to this day.  He was instrumental in establishing the mariachi ensemble class in the Music Department at Stanford.  After a year of graduate school at Stanford, he was appointed adjunct faculty in the Stanford Music Department, where he was the lead instructor of the mariachi ensemble class for five years.  During this time, Robert taught mariachi in public schools and at the Mexican Heritage Corporation Plaza in San Jose, CA.  Robert has also been honored to teach armonía and trumpet at Mariachi Spectacular de Albuquerque, and other mariachi conferences and festivals in New Mexico, Colorado, and Texas.

During and after his time at Stanford, he performed mariachi music professionally in and around San Jose, CA, including with Mariachi Santa Cecilia, Mariachi Azteca, and other ensembles.  He also performed and recorded other musical genres, such as son jarocho, son Cubano, cumbia, vallenato, son huasteco, and Chican@ music, with various ensembles throughout California and beyond.

Returning to New Mexico in 2005, Robert began law school at the University of New Mexico, during and after which he performed with Mariachi Tapatío, Mariachi Tepeyac, and Mariachi Tenampa.

In the fall semester 2019, Robert re-initiated the mariachi ensemble class at UNM, with the essential support of visionary leadership at the UNM College of Fine Arts and Department of Music, as well as the invaluable contributions of his fellow instructors.  He continues to instruct the UNM Music Department mariachi ensemble class.

In addition to his music career, Robert maintains a law practice centering on real estate, land use, and estate planning. He remains active in community service with several boards and organizations such as the UNM John Donald Robb Musical Trust, the State Bar of New Mexico Committee on Diversity in the Legal Profession, the UNM School of Law Alumni/ae Association (Past President), and the United Way of Central New Mexico Hispano Philanthropic Society.  He has taught as an adjunct faculty member at the UNM School of Law, and he is a frequent presenter at continuing legal education classes.