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Maureen started singing at the young age of one year and six months; she started with everybody's favorite song, Barney. She went on to sing songs from Disney cartoons until her grandfather Larry found a music school. The teacher at the school was not going to let her enroll because she was too young, until he heared her sing. The teacher asked Larry for her to learn a song called Cancion Mixteca, a Spanish song. Larry took Maureen to Grandmother Martha to teach Maureen the song. Martha replied tell the teacher he is crazy Maureen doesn't speak or understand Spanish how is she going to learn the song. Larry asked Martha to teach Maureen the song anyway. Well that was the day Maureen started to sing in Spanish, she learned the song in three days and her début was two weeks later at the Hollywood Bowl, Mariachi USA Festival in June 2000 produced by Rodriguez, in front of eighteen thousand mariachi fans at the age of five. Mrs. Rodriguez has hired Maureen to perform at every Mariachi USA Festival since then and at other concerts Mrs. Rodriguez has produced including Las Vegas, Nevada. At the age of seven she entered the Mervyns's 1st Annual Cultural Arts Festival Concurso de Mariachi which she entered as a soloist and won 1st place in her division and also 1st place overall Feb. 4, 2002.
Maureen recorded her 1st CD in 2003 interpreting songs written for King Clave, singer and writer of his hit songs in early 70's Los Hombres No Deben Llora (Men Should Not Cry), Mi Corazon Llora (My Heart Cries) and others. The song Esperanza ( Hope) of this CD is the official thyme song of Padres Contra El Cancer (Parents Against Cancer).
Maureen's favorite singer are Lola Beltrán, Roció Durcal, Karina Moreno, Celia Cruz, and her grandma Martha. Maureen likes to shop for clothes and go to the movies; her favorite movies are Elf and The Passion.
Written in the Whittier
Daily News Monday, February 4, 2002 front page.
Little girl with big voice makes sweet mariachi music.
Whittier 7-year-old wins top honors at competition.
East Los Angeles - A charming little girl with a big voice had a capacity
crowd on its feet and cheering loudly at the Concurso de Mariachi event
Sunday at East Los Angeles College. Vocalist Maureen Sanchez, 7, of
Whittier, was the youngest participant in the mariachi competition, the
third event first three-day Latino Cultural Arts Festival, sponsored by Mervyns's
of California. She so impressed the judges, many of them renowned mariachi
performers or instructors, with her ability to hit high and low notes and
everything in between that she won first place in the junior division and
best overall vocalist. For the second win she was awarded $500. By Debbie
Pfeiffer Trunnell (staff writer).
Maureen has performed at the Hollywood Bowl Mariachi USA in June 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003 and 2004, Los Angeles County Fair in Sept. 2001, 2002, 2003 and 2004 Mariachi in USA Concert. Fantasyland Theater in Disneyland Oct. 27, 2001 3rd annual Cultural Arts Festival Concurso de Mariachi which she entered as a soloist and won 1st place in her division and also 1st place overall Feb. 2002. Harriet & Charles Luckman Fine Arts Complex California State University Los Angeles, Ca., March 2, 2002. Fiesta Broadway Los Angeles, CA Channel 22. May 2002. Opened the concerts Boleros Under The Stars A tribute to Lucho Gatica with Los Panchos and Los Dandys at the Ford Amphitheater Los Angeles CA., Oct 5, 2002. Hollywood Palladium, Recuerdos with King Clave, Palito Ortega, Leo Dan and Elio Roca, Feb. 14, 2003. Sponsored by Verizon she received an award at the 9th Annual Treasures of Los Angeles April 24 2003. Mariachi USA Festival San Antonio, Texas May 10, 2003. Recorded her 1st CD interpreting songs written by King Clave, August 2003. The song Esperanza of this CD is the official thyme song of Padres Contra El Cancer (Parents Against Cancer). A Tribute to Lalo Guerrero at the Ford Amphitheater in Los Angeles CA., Oct. 4, 2003. Day of the Dead, Ford Amphitheatre Los Angeles CA., Nov. 1, 2003. KCET TV, 44th Annual L.A. County Holiday Celebration, Los Angeles, CA. Dec. 24, 2003. M Mariachi Passion & Tradition at the "V" Theater at the Aladdin Hotel in Las Vegas, Nevada, five days a week from June through August 2004.