Arlene Frausto was born and raised in Phoenix, AZ. She first started playing violin in 4th grade in her elementary school beginning orchestra. Her father inspired her to give music a try because there was a legacy of talented musicians on his side of the family. One of his uncles was a member the acclaimed Mariachi Vargas de Tecalitlan from Jalisco, Mexico. Growing up, Arlene was always surrounded by mariachi music and loved it.
In the sixth grade, Arlene joined the mariachi ensemble in Desert Sounds music program in Mesa, Arizona. That is where she started to learn her instrument in depth and developed a passion for mariachi music. Then, in eighth grade she had the opportunity to join Rosie’s House mariachi ensemble. After joining Rosie’s House, Arlene excelled in her development. She went right into Rosie’s House advance mariachi ensemble. One of the highlights of her time at Rosie’s House was performing at the Tucson International Mariachi Conference.
After graduating from high school, Arlene and several other former members from Rosie’s House mariachi ensemble formed the group Mariachi Corazon de Valle (Heart of the Valley). They continue to perform regularly. They have performed with Mariachi Vargas, Tigres del Norte, and Ramon Ayala.
Arlene went to Arizona State University and studied secondary education to become a high school math teacher. She always wanted to become a teacher and chose math because she wanted to be a great instructor for students who had difficulty with math. Now, she’s a teacher at Champion Schools in Chandler and is one of the first alumna from Rosie’s House to return as a faculty member.