Amado Espinoza

Bolivian virtuoso, Amado Espinoza is this week’s featured artist on the Wednesday Morning Buzz Summer Concert Series from 7:00 to 7:30.

http://www.amadoespinoza.com/home.php

AMADO ESPINOZA
I was born in Cochabamba, the heart of Bolivia. From a young age I recognized a necessity to make music.

My grandfather, Luis Morales, was a large influence on the connection that I have with the Andean soil. With his mule he trekked the high plains of Potosí, Bolivia, teaching in rural schools. In the labyrinths of the Cochabamba central market I accompanied him and his parakeets that read fortunes. He told me of his experiences, his thoughts… he sang to me songs in Quechua.

I love Andean music, I feel its winds that I imagine encircled my grandfather; I feel the desires and experiences of its people’s complex history.

But my music is not just Bolivian. I travel through my music. Through these instruments, and the quality of the sounds that they can produce, takes me to landscapes that I have never seen in this lifetime. Music is a mirror of a culture – its geography and its landscapes. It is also the medium in order to transport the musician and the listener to these lands that the spirit already recognizes. We can cross time and space together.

About Amado:
His interest for music awoke at the age of eight, participating in the military band of his primary school, playing instruments of the Andean region, like the Sikus (Sanqa y Malta).

At the age of 16 he began formal studies in music at the Andrés Bello Institute, where he studied classical guitar. He continued his musical education at the Conservatory Milan in Cochabamba, Bolivia, while investigating ethnic instruments from various cultures, like the African djembé, the Bolivian charango, and the Australian didgeridoo.

Later he perfected his skills in musical appreciation and musical history with the Professor Alberto Iporre Salinas, ex chairman of the Conservatory of Hungary, and in charango at the Amerindia Academy.

In 2000 he dedicated himself to the investigation, recuperation, interpretation, and construction of native instruments from different parts of the world, resulting in the establishment of the Museum of Musical Instruments for the Foundation Luis Ernesto of the Andes, in Marquina, Quillacollo, Bolivia, housing over 500 pieces from six continents.

He founded Tribu Kona in 2002, producing four albums and performing on various stages in Latin America.

He was in-house composer for the Circus Theatre El Tapeque between 2011-2012 (El Duende, Viajeros, Amor – Es) and composed the music to the award-winning play Mocambo among various commercial and independent productions.

Since his arrival to Kansas City, MO in 2014, Amado has been seen on TEDxKC, TEDxYouth, Folk Fest, and has been featured with many local bands. He is a recipient of an ArtsKC inspiration grant and Charlotte St. Resident. He is also musical director of the Latin American band, Ayllu.

Most recently he is artistic directing and composing a theatrical production called We are the Landscape, which promotes indigenous ideals through music, dance, and storytelling. The expected debut is Fall, 2016 in Kansas City, MO. Keep an eye out for details.

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