Inti-Illimani 50th Anniversary and Nano Stern Friday, October 27, 2017 at 8:00pm This is the 764th concert in Koerner Hall

Inti-Illimani Jorge Coulón, , tiple, rondador, zampona, hammered dulcimer, harp & vocals Marcelo Coulón, guitar, quena, piccolo, flute, bass & vocals Daniel Cantillana, , zampona, viola, mandolin & vocals Efren Viera, congas, bongo, cajón, timbales, Latin percussion, clarinet, saxophone & vocals Manuel Meriño, Musical Director, guitar, tiple, bass & vocals Christian González, flutes, piccolo, quena, sikus, cajón, bass & vocals Juan Flores, bass, cajón, cuatro, charango, quena, guitar, mandolin, sikus & vocals César Jara, guitar, tiple, bass, charango & vocals Camilo Lema, bass

Nano Stern, , violin, flutes & voice Patricio Rojas, bass & vocals Cristian Carvacho, drums, percussion, charango & vocals

Inti-Illimani Inti-Illimani has transcended the idea of the musical ensemble and has become a cultural location, a liturgy expressing the essence of the Latin American ethno-musical experience. Founded by Jorge Coulón in 1967, Inti-Illimani has performed worldwide to hundreds of thousands of fans for 50 years, collaborated with folk legends, earned awards and honours for their activism and masterful musicianship, and produced one of the richest discographies in Latin American recording history. The group’s first album, Nueva Canción (New Song), spoke to their role in dreaming a new vision for during the volatile socio-political landscape of South America during the 1960s and 70s. They have endured political exile, embodied creative leadership through decades of transition and evolution, and enjoyed an invaluable, truly majestic career. Inti-Illimani’s poetry – a sound that captures memories of persecution, love, loss, revolution, social justice, and freedom – has captivated artists with whom they have performed, including Peter Gabriel, Bruce Springsteen, Sting, Mercedes Sosa, Patricio Manns, Youssou N’Dour, John Williams, Joan Baez, and Paco Peña. Renowned for their humanity and arts activism, they have appeared on Amnesty International stages and lectured extensively on Latin American folk and indigenous music, culture, and social change. Most recently, they founded an arts-centric charter school, Sol del Illimani, which the group saved from closing in one of ’s most vulnerable neighbourhoods. Inti-Illimani has toured in dozens of countries at prestigious concert halls, festivals, and benefit concerts. They have recorded 36 studio albums and their newest release is dedicated to the legendary . Inti-Illimani means “sun of the mountain,” taken from the indigenous Aymara dialect.

Nano Stern Poet, singer-songwriter, and social activist, Chilean Nano Stern, is widely recognized as the voice of his generation – outspoken and passionate, topping charts, and leading marches for freedom and equality across South America. Stern’s style is an indie-folk-rock-jazz fusion, deeply rooted in traditional Chilean music and inspired by legends Violeta Parra, Victor Jara, and Inti-Illimani, combined with a host of influences absorbed from his travels around the world, as well as his early classical training and love for rock. He is an accomplished musician, playing a range of instruments from Spanish and electric guitars, violin, and to Andean and Nordic flutes. Not to be underrated is the power and emotion that emanates from his vocal prowess, and his intimate and rousing connection to his audiences. Highly acclaimed as a recording artist, Stern released his fifth studio album, Mil 500 Vueltas, in 2015, featuring guests Jorge Drexler and Joan Baez. The CD immediately became No. 1 on iTunes Chile and was certified Gold. “As he [Stern] and Ms. Baez sang it [Gracias a la Vida], their performance generated the kind of lightning you might have experienced at a joyful ‘60s hootenanny when everything seemed possible and hope was in the air. For a moment, the hush of depression lifted, the generational sense of defeat abated, and the concert came thrillingly alive.” (Stephen Holden, The New York Times)

All artists are making their Royal Conservatory debuts tonight.

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