International American Reinaissance and Baroque Music Festival
The old Jesuit missions of Chiquitos: San Javier, Concepción, San Ignacio, Santa Ana, San Rafael, San Miguel (1691 - 1767) and those of Moxos (1681 - 1767) represent one of the most important treasures pertaining to the national and regional culture heritage.
During the restoration process of Jesuitic temples at the aforementioned missions, a musical wealth of the first magnitude was discovered: more than 5,000 sacred music sheets in Chiquitos and another 4,000 in Moxos, written by both European and local indigenous composers between the XVII and XVIII centuries. This music was used to play in those missional towns every day up to midnineteenth century. It should be added to this treasure that in 1991 the UNESCO has declared six missional towns and the temples therein a Humankind Cultural Heritage.
In order to preserve the beauty of this world heritage, and disseminate the wealthy musical archive of Chiquitos and Moxos, a bunch of volunteers entertained the idea of organizing an international musical festival which would have the magnificent temples as its stage scenery; however this goal is deeply rooted in a grounding "leit motiv": to awaken the citizens to the importance of this historical legacy as the kernel of our culture identity by means of turning the old Jesuitic Missions of Chiquitos and Moxos into public knowledge icons, disclosing besides an unknown facet of our own country which involves several pillars from its cultural wealth.
Since 1996 such dream is being succesfully accomplished. Deemed to be the most important cultural event within Bolivia, and the world's largest event at its kind, the festival is carried out by APAC every two years. The next one will be held in 2010. This festival constitutes a joyous occassion, wherein music makes tropical forests harmonize with scattered tokens of Baroque architecture which are throughout a journey 3,000 kilometers long insterspersed among conspicuous symbols of art and craft, that depict the living multiculturalism actually existing in 18 communities which are found in Eastern Bolivia. Source: APAC - Festival Organizer.
International Baroque Music Festival in the media:
- The program "The Strand", BBC network from UK about the VIII International Baroque Music Festival 2010 held last Abril/May with an interview to Fr. Piotr Nawrot (artistic director of the Baroque Music Festival-Chiquitos), Mr. Ashley Solomon (director of UK Baroque Music Ensemble 'Florilegium') and Simon Aguape (talented Guarani indian violinist)- go to minute 14:40.
Interested in knowing more and when/how to attend the next the International Baroque Music Festival? Contact us!. Is it not possible for you to plan your visit during the music festivals? No problem, we can arrange a private miniconcert so you can taste a bit of it during your visit to the beautiful misions!
Read the comments from people who have traveled with us to the Jesuit Missions during the International Baroque Music Festival.
Does your interest go more to the nature? for example to beautiful orchids?! Then visit the Missions in october during the Orchid Festival. Contact us! for more information.
