The musical careers of Manuel Y. Ferrer and Miguel S. Arévalo, the premier Mexican-American guitarist-composers in nineteenth-century California, demonstrate that local Hispanic musicans continued to represent Mexican cultural traditions advanta- geously at a time when Anglo-American and European musicians dominated the state's forma] public performance scene. Though born in Mexico, both men lived most of their lives in California, Ferrer in the San Francisco Bay area, and Arévalo in Los Angeles. Both toured throughout the state  and frequently performed in their home cities, playing Mexican, European, and European-Arnerican music for Mexican-American and English-speaking audiences. Ferrer and Arévalo were also published composers. They moved easily between the Spanish and English-speaking communities, often appearing as inited soloists before both Mexican and non-Mexican audiences. Arévalo and Ferrer also taught music to pupils of diverse social and ethnic backgrounds. Both exerted significant influence on musical 1ife in their respective areas of...