The first European concert of Bolivian Baroque music was held in the Main Auditorium of Amsterdam’s Concertgebouw on Monday, 31 January 2005, performed by Bolivian soloists and the English Baroque ensemble Florilegium.
Auditions were held in Bolivia in spring 2004, which led to the discovery of the natural talents of Katia Escalera, Henry Villca Suntura, Alejandra Wayar Soux and Gian-Carla Tisera. Accompanied by Florilegium, these singers performed the concert’s world premiere in May 2004 during the APAC Festival of Latin American Baroque Music in Santa Cruz. The performances are the result of a collaboration between the Asociación Pro Arte y Cultura (APAC) of Santa Cruz (Bolivia), the Prince Claus Fund and the DOEN Foundation. This co-operation included the restoration, conservation and circulation of this unique Bolivian musical heritage. In 2001, thousands of pages of late 17th century scores, which were partly the work of Indian composers, were discovered in former mission areas in the Amazon region. The renowned Dutch label Channel Classics made CD recordings and the CD were launched at the concert in Amsterdam.
This project embodies the Prince Claus Fund’s appreciation of the Bolivian musical heritage. During this undertaking, the Fund has scouted and encouraged exceptional talent, and is presenting, at an international level, work that has never been performed before. Contact was established with APAC in 2002, when the Fund honoured Marcelo Araúz, APAC’s founder, with a Prince Claus Award for his activities on behalf of the preservation and circulation of the Bolivian musical heritage.
Press release on the Amsterdam Concert
Artistic Productions in 2004
Bolivian Baroque, How Latin America conquered European classical music (the Power of Culture, february 2005)
Marcello Arauz, APAC and Henry Villca, tenor
Amsterdam, 31 Januari 2005
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