Música Alrededor La Navidad

We had 3 musical events within the week of Christmas.

A bronze ensemble that practices in the cultural center once a week, gave an impromptu performance on December 23 right before the "Concierto de Gala por la Navidad" in the Cathedral. The members of the bronze ensemble also played in the Christmas Concert of the Cathedral as they are all members of the Cusco Symphonic Orchestra. Many thanks to the bronze ensemble and their coordinator Luis Martinez.

On December 29 we had a concert by a group of students also studying by the Suzuki method but in a workshop independent of the Qantu Association that had earlier in November-December had graduation concerts in the house. For me, the highlight of the event was the short presentation given by the "Ritornello" string quartet after the student concert.

On December 30, the Ritornello" string quartet gave a full length concert. It was magnificent... and the sound of the quartet in the main room of this 16th century was just do beautiful. Thanks to Sandra Tello the representative for the quartet and to the members of the quartet.

Concierto Barroco y La Mujer Crucificada

Lucho Ramirez, a performer as well as director in theater, presented his one man production of Concierto Barroco December 4-5 and narrated La Mujer Crucificada (The Crucified Woman) and other perverse stories December 18-19. It was very impressive watching both his performance of Concierto Barroco and listening to his narrations.

Here is the propaganda for the performance, the picture carries more a sense of the bizarre than I can put into words.

And here is Lucho during his performance of 'Concierto Barroco'. The only props were a bottle of wine on the table, a glass (of course) and a CD player which provided part of the background 'concierto' during part of the performance.

Qantu Asociación - Suzuki Music Concerts

The Qantu music association affiliated with Suzuki Music of Peru had concerts and graduation ceremonies in several different events. Our daughter graduated from book 1 of violin during the November 13 graduation from books 1 to 3 for violin. There were separate events during November and into December for violin books 4-7, flutes, guitar and piano. The concerts were delightful and by books 4-7, the music is very refined and sophisticated reaching professional quality. The Qantu program in Cusco draws students from all walks of life and is not at all a program for the elite!

Playing together as part of the graduation concert for books 1-3 of violin.

The teachers have an international composition: Flor Canelo (back left) is the director and comes from Perú. Allyson (front left) comes from Canada, Fernando (back 3rd from right) comes from Perú, Amy and Angela (back right) come from the US.

For that matter, while the majority of students in Qantu come from Perú, there is a sprinkling of students from the US and France as well.

Haylli PachaMama

Saturday evenings 7, 14, 21 and 28 of November the center hosted 'Celebrations of the Mother Earth', Haylli PachaMama. The celebrations included music, dance, paintings and ritual with artists Kike Pinto (composer, performer and event coordinator), Sikuris Willkamayu (dancers and musicians) and Yanaruma Ayllu (Shaman). Together with the HAYLLI there as during the month of November and exposition of art related with the HAYLLI PachaMama theme with painters Constanza, CH'aska, Clara and Xhiva.

The Shaman preparing to burn the coca leaves. Coca is an integral part of the Andean culture having a ritual and religious significance beyond its medicinal and stimulant uses (and NOT for its use in making cocaine for the rich consuming nations such as the USA).

The Sikuris playing music and dancing as part of the celebration.
Constanza seated with a collection of here paintings.

Origami Convención

At the end of October, the origami association in Peru hosted an international origami conference based partly in the cultural center.

For entertainment the Perú chapter organized a traditional dance demonstration for all the participants.

There were participants from throughout South America.

One of the works included a dragon and a knight challenging the dragon.

Semana del Cuento

During the first month of the cultural center we offered a week of stories. Here is the poster we made up.



Here are a few pictures of the event:


Tania Castro as the Karate Kid (not really):

Lucho Ramirez:

Opening of the Cultural Center

The goal of the cultural center is to attend to the totality of "What is happening today in Cusquenian, Peruvian and South American art and culture?" (in that order). We encourage and provide space for music, theater, dance, stories, readings, and other performances. In collaboration with the art gallery, we also offer space for exhibitions of contemporary art in all of the medias that the creative mind might conceive.

Pictures from the opening of the cultural center.

Students of Qantu practicing for the opening.

The crowd at the opening.

Lucho Ramirez and Miguel Campana perform a scene from Los Tambores.

Gladys Conde sings.