On Sunday, September 15th, The New Mexico Music Hall of Fame announced its class of 2025 with an amazing variety of veteran performers from New Mexico.
To be inducted into the hall in a ceremony on November 29th of this year will be saxophonist, jazz master and Albuquerque Jazz Orchestra leader Glenn Kostur, longtime performers Mariachi Tenampa, salsa legend Ivon Ulibarri, Native American flutist and Grammy Award winner Robert Mirabal, Angel Espinosa, bassist extrordinaire Maud Beenhouwer, Sondra Isaminger, Mariachi Spectacular co-founder Noberta Fresquez and actress and musician Demi Moore.
Glenn Kostur has a long history of promoting jazz in New Mexico through his music and has been the Director of Jazz Studies at the University of New Mexico since 1995.
Mariachi Tenampa is celebrating 40 years of bringing traditional and ,modern Mariachi music to the southwest beginning in Santa Fe in 1971, with the late Don Miguel Ojeda Sr. Members of Mariachi Tenampa have served as instructors for many conferences across the southwest including conferences in Tucson, Albuquerque, Alamosa Colorado, Midland Texas, San Angelo Texas, Pueblo Colorado and El Rito. Several members of the group also direct school-based mariachi programs at San Jose Elementary School, Washington Middle School, Albuquerque High School, the Santa Fe Youth Symphony Association Program and the University of New Mexico.
With her band Cafe Mocha, Ivon Ulibari is one of the pioneers of Salsa, Cumbia and other Latin styles of music in New Mexico. This New Mexico Music Award winning artist has been entertaining throughout the southwest for the past 30 years. Originally from Tucumcari, NM, she studied at the University of New Mexico and also serves as a teacher in the Albuquerque Public School system.
Grammy Award winner Robert Mirabal of Taos Pueblo is a musician, composer, painter, master craftsman, poet, actor, screenwriter, author, horseman, and farmer. A flute player and maker, Robert’s flutes have been displayed at the Smithsonian Institute’s Museum of the American Indian. Robert’s music can be heard in the film Prey where he added soundscapes, vocal chant, flutes and percussionist and George RR Martin’s Night of The Cooters and co-scored the soundtrack for the 4-part Hulu series Vow of Silence: the Assassination of Annie Mae.
Angel Espinoza was born and raised in Espanola and studied music at New Mexico Highlands University and the University of New Mexico. Her career took off in the early 1990’s and in 1996 Angel was signed to Joey Records in San Antonio, TX and recorded her award winning CD, “Amor Cuanto Te Quise”.
Maud Beenhower is the go to bassist in New Mexico. She has been playing bass for over 30 years and a staff member of the New Mexico Jazz Workshop since 2005, serving at various times as its Director from 2009 through 2014. Her current duties f include grant writing, bookkeeping, Adult Education curriculum design, and “Under the Stars” program support. Maud holds a degree from the University of New Mexico in History and French and has been a professional musician for over thirty years. She plays bass for several popular Albuquerque bands and does occasional teaching as well.
Sondra Isaminger (1956–2008) sang lead and was the front person in the pop dance group Mikado. This group traveled throughout the west coast, touring in Oregon, Washington, California, Wyoming and New Mexico. After passing away from cancer in 2008, her husband John founded the Sondra Isaminger Cancer Foundation commemorating Sondra by assisting cancer victims and their families with non-medical needs while they receive treatment in Albuquerque, NM.
Mariachi Spectacular co-founder and executive director of Mariachi Spectacular de Albuquerque Noberta Fresquez recently received the 2022 Robb Award for Excellence. The Robb Award is presented annually by the Board of Directors of the UNM (University of New Mexico) John Donald Robb Musical Trust to a musician, individual, or organization that has made an outstanding contribution in New Mexico in Music. Beginning in 1990, the Mariachi Spectacular has brought the finest Mariachi instructors in the world to New Mexico to educate those interested in learning this most unique and fascinating music.
While known internationally as an award winning actress, Demi Moore also has a musical history that dates back to 1981, co-authoring music for the Nu Katz with then husband Freddy Moore. Born in Roswell, NM, Moore has gone on to international fame, becoming one of the highest paid actors in the world.
for more information, go to https://nmmhof.org/