2012 - 2013 Book Design: Spotorno / Cover photos: Claudio Mendoza Their music has travelled the five continents and has found the same warm welcome in the U.S., Europe, Japan, Australia ... www.quilapayun.info and of course in all Latin American countries Born in Chile in 1965, QUILAPAYÚN is now one of the most QUILAPAYÚN’s presentations include instruments such as the renowned Latin American band in the world. On an artistic level, its fundamental value lies in its contribution to the modernization quena (indigenous flute), panpipes and different types of guitars of the popular music of the continent. (tiple, cuatro and Spanish guitar), in addition to piano, synthesizers, electro-acoustic guitars, electric bass, Caribbean Initially identified with the popular government of Salvador percussion and many other instruments. They accompanied a Allende (who would name them "official cultural ambassadors of powerful set of wisely harmonized voices, which has always Chile") and subsequently with the democratic struggle against the been the main feature of the group. The texts cover fundamental dictatorship, the band have creatively preserved the sound and aspects of life, demonstrating the band’s sensibility to the image of what QUILAPAYÚN has meant to audiences over the injustices that affect humankind. years. Based in France since September 1973, the group has continued to renew its sound, which is rooted in traditional Latin QUILAPAYÚN has recorded 29 albums to date, which have American music, creatively expressing the tensions between world been reproduced in many European and American countries. and nation, identity and diversity, tradition and innovation. These recordings are a testimony of the band's musical Their work links folk, popular, academic and experimental music, versatility as well as its continuing creativity. The album producing an original synthesis which conveys the rich cultural Quilapayún a Palau recorded live in Barcelona in 2003 diversity that is now Latin America. (released in Europe on CD and DVD the same year), shows that after 47 years of existence, the group, now partially renovated, To exemplify this, their work includes recreations of Indian music has retained the essential characteristics of its origins, in other ("Yaraví and huayno"), a vast output of current popular music ("La words, its ambition for renewal, musical energy and sense of muralla", "Plegaria a un labrador", "Allende" ...), collaborations perspective towards the future. with classical musicians which has given rise to a series of Popular Cantatas (the best known of which is the Cantata Santa María de The concerts of the now legendary Chilean group Iquique, by Chilean composer Luis Advis) and, finally, their QUILAPAYÚN are a concentrate of vocal passion, emotion, approach to contemporary music revealed in their latest colours and rhythms. compositions ("Fuerzas naturales", "El hombre de hoy", "Temporía" ...). The most important honours "Certificate of commendation in the "Orden al Mérito "Gabriela Mistral" en el grado de "Platinum Disc" degree of highest honour" for production "Anthology 1968- (Commander of Arts and Comendador" ("Order of Merit 1993" Warner-Chile, issued by Letters), issued by the OAS, Gabriela Mistral"), awarded by the Association of Phonographic Organization of American States the Chilean government. Paris, Producers of Chile, Santiago, and the CIME, Council of Inter- February 1995. Chile, October 1999. American Music. Washington, March 1994. Current members Photos: Christian McManus Today QUILAPAYÚN combine a sense of history with a forward looking perspective in addition to musical training and stage experience. With total respect for QUILAPAYÚN's style and history, the current line-up continues to extend a long term project whose main aim is constant renewal. The group is now composed of three "historic" members, Rodolfo PARADA-LILLO (member since 1968 and now its artistic director), Patricio WANG (member of the group since 1980 and now its musical director), and Patricio CASTILLO (already member in 1965), in addition to a "new guard" composed of three Chilean singers and multi- instrumentalists, all musicians of high artistic rating : Alvaro PINTO, Mario CONTRERAS and Rodrigo GONZALEZ- MIQUELES. Rodolfo Patricio Parada-Lillo Wang Author-composer and interpreter with a background in oral traditions, he Composer and interpreter, he trained at the Conservatory in Chile and joined QUILAPAYÚN in 1968. He sings and plays stringed instruments, subsequently graduated in classical guitar and composition at the Royal pan pipes and percussion. Conservatory of Den Haag. He started to work with QUILAPAYÚN in 1980. His interpretations of the original versions of "Plegaria a un labrador" (1969), "Porque los pobres no tienen" (1969, from the record Basta), He sings, plays piano, stringed instruments and pan pipes. "Vamos mujer" (1970, from Cantata Santa María de Iquique) among others, have characterised the emblematic repertoire of the group, through Since his first contributions to the group ("Galileo-Galilei", "Chabela", "El his warm and expressive tone of voice. niño mudo"..) his compositions opened new musical horizons for the band. His rich compositional experience and ability, both popular and His texts and musical work are inscribed on the various QUILAPAYÚN contemporary, accumulated through countless recordings and creations albums, essentially since 1972 ("Ausencia", "Susurro", "El paso del for ballet, opera, theater, palette. ñandú", etc ...). His contribution to the band’s repertoire is particularly relevant since the early 1990’s (Latitudes and Al horizonte albums). A permanent innovator, his recent compositions on the records Latitudes and Al horizonte ("Allende", "Temporía", "Caleuche", "Alharaca"…) have Since joining the group, he immediately took on the highest responsibilities given QUILAPAYÚN a renewed enthusiasm in their constant search for and is now its artistic director (from 1988) ensuring the discursive technical improvement and originality. coherence and continuity of the group through his writings, song texts and music. In charge of musical arrangements, he has been QUILAPAYÚN’s music director since 1988. In May 2005 he was given the title of "Knight of the Arts and Letters" by the French Government. Personal website: www.patriciowang.com Personal website: www.paradalillo.com Patricio Alvaro Castillo Pinto Lyon Author-composer and interpreter, he joined QUILAPAYÚN’s founders in Singer and instrumentalist, he joined QUILAPAYÚN in 2001. Having 1965, three months after the creation of the group, taking part in their trained at the Conservatory in Chile, he obtained his Diploma in classical first recordings. Singer and performer, he specialises in electric bass, guitar at the Conservatory of Rotterdam, Netherlands, in 2004. He now and also plays stringed instruments and quena. studies Music Production at the same Conservatory. His qualities as performer, intense and communicative, have He plays wind instruments (quena, pan pipes, oboe), strings (guitar, characterised the group’s repertoire, from the song "La Muralla" to "Tío charango, mandolin, tiple, cuatro) and keyboards. caimán". Former member of the group Barroco Andino, as well as other Present in the emblematic albums X Viet-Nam (1967), Basta 1969) and important groups of Latin American music, he participated in countless Cantata Santa María de Iquique (1970), he embarked on a solo career national and international tours. He thus acquired a rich artistic in 1971. He returned to QUILAPAYÚN in 1992, after having recorded experience which led him to link himself profoundly with new three solo albums as well as having played with some of the most traditionally-based Chilean music. prominent musicians of the Chilean New Song Movement, including Víctor Jara, Los Parras and Los Jaivas. His vocal qualities and his broad instrumental palette, have enriched the group with expressive means of great consistency. Personal website: www.patriciocastillo.com Mario Rodrigo Contreras Gonzalez- Sotomayor Miqueles Singer and instrumentalist from an oral tradition, he began Composer and interpreter, he studied composition and arrangements in working with QUILAPAYÚN in 2001. A tenor with a warm and Chile at the Escuela de Música Popular belonging to the Sociedad percussive voice, he also plays stringed instruments (guitar, Chilena del Derecho de Autor (SCD). This was followed by studies of tiple, charango) and percussion (congas, bongós). the traverse flute in France at the National Conservatory of Pantin. He began to work with QUILAPAYÚN in 2007. He is a musician who emerged from the bands which inherited the Chilean tradition of the 60’s. His vocal and instrumental Besides his singing, he also plays pan pipes, traverse flute, accordion, strength have invigorated the harmonic sonority of the group, piano and stringed instruments. providing, at the same time, a skilful technical expertise that greatly contributes to the interpretation of the new instrumental As both composer and performer he has worked with several Latin tracks. American music and jazz groups. He has also collaborated with numerous musicians of the popular scenes in Chile, Argentina and His constant work at the heart of popular music groups has France. transformed him into a sensitive receiver of sound, and a rigorous scrutinizer of the collective understanding.. His interpretive requirements and his team spirit are a great asset to the group’s artistic expression. Some of the records ON TOUR QUILAPAYÚN