Full Biography

Quimantu were formed in 1981 by the Chilean musician and composer Mauricio Venegas-Astorga and since then have gained a reputation as one of Britain’s finest South American bands. Over the past two decades Quimantu has developed a unique repertoire, which gives audiences a fascinating overview of the diversity of South American music and an insight into its musical connections with Africa, Europe and beyond. From the haunting melodies of Andean, Celtic and Thai airs to the rhythms of Cuban Son and Northumbrian dances, the band is inspired by a desire to discover the music of the past and the sound of the future. The group has blossomed out of the very particular musical environment that exists in the UK, especially in London, an environment which has afforded Quimantu the opportunity to collaborate with leading musicians from almost every genre imaginable, from Western Classical to Indian Classical, African to traditional English Folk. The result is a powerful musical message, which is a refreshing mix full of life and honesty that has brought audiences to their feet to dance in venues across the UK, Europe and Chile.

CONCERTS, TOURING & FESTIVALS: Highlights include the sell-out 2003 UK tour with special guest, international guitarist John Williams and the 2004 tour to Chile, which included Illapu’s Eric Maluenda and John Williams as guest artists. Following the highly successful PRS Foundation funded 2003 tour of the Scottish Highlands and Islands, Quimantu were invited to perform at the Skye World Music Festival 2005. Regular concerts in London, including the Queen Elizabeth Hall (May 2004) have also included the Royal Albert Hall, the Royal Festival Hall and Purcell Room, the Barbican Hall and the London Palladium. Quimantu has also appeared abroad at prestigious events such as the Rose of Tralee and Letterkenny International Festivals in Eire and the International Festival of Music and Dance in Cyprus. UK festival appearances have included Sidmouth, Larmer Tree, Broadstairs and Coin Street.

ALBUMS, RECORDINGS & FILM: Quimantu has released 12 commercial albums, the latest being “Malabarisias” – “a fantastic album, the joyfully mixed grooves of Latin, Celtic and other rhythms are inspired.” (Martin Morales Journalist, DJ) “Malabarisias weaves bridges between the ancient and the modern, the distant and the local, the past and the present, between memories and dreams. Steeped in the traditions of diverse regions, the members of Quimantu together create vibrant and haunting tapestries of sound which are proof that, in an ever-smaller ‘globalised’ world, cultures flow in many directions.” (Hazel Marsh, Dept. Latin American Studies U.E.A.)

The group has also recorded the music for a number of feature films. Quimantu provided much of the ethnic instrumentation for the 80’s group Incantation culminating in the recording of the music for the film The Mission. As well as their work with Enio Morricone on The Mission, the group can be heard on Ladybird, Ladybird, Hostage, The Honorary Consul and Priest. Television and radio work has included the recording and broadcast of a live concert at the Ashcroft Theatre by BBC Radio 2, appearances and interviews for the Radio 3 programmes Ritmo and In Tune, and BBC Television’s music education programme Music Makers. Quimantu also played an integral role in the music for the oratorio The Plague and the Moonflower by Richard Harvey and Ralph Steadman, broadcast on BBC2 and featuring Ben Kingsley and Ian Holm.

MAURICIO VENEGAS- ASTORGA, Director: Having developed his musical career outside Chile, the Chilean composer, singer and multi-instrumentalist Mauricio Venegas-Astorga has always had a close interest in the external influences on the music, culture and politics of his country. He has also very successfully mixed his own tradition with different musical styles and instruments from around the world and his compositions are a fresh and exciting example of this, showing that he is not afraid of experimenting and approaching different genres, blending Latin American and world music with Tango, Celtic, African and Indian traditions. In addition to his musicianship and skills as a singer and composer, Mauricio’s lyrics deliver a beautiful and strong message of freedom, peace and justice his words will not only touch your hearts but also your consciousness Since settling in England in 1977 he has gained a reputation as one of the finest musicians to emerge from the Latin American folk tradition.

He has worked and collaborated with a large number of important figures in the British, African and Latin American music scenes. These have included the internationally renowned guitarist, John Williams, the composers Richard Harvey and Graham Preskett, the traditional singer-songwriters Roger Watson and Robb Johnson, the African drummer Musa Mboob, the Cuban composer Efrain Rios and the Chilean songwriters Jorge Campos and Osvaldo Torres. As a composer Mauricio has written and participated in the creation of more than 30 albums of music for film and television and for Quimantu, with his compositions being featured in films and TV programmes such as Noel, Best Laid Plans, Stuck On You, The Ophra Winfrey Show, Sex and The City, Law & Order, etc. Widely known for the specialist knowledge he has developed in Latin American and World Music, Mauricio has also contributed as an advisor and composer to a number of television and radio programmers including "Ritmo” and “Kaleidoscope” for BBC Radio 3 and “Music Makers” for BBC TV. One of his most recent commissions was a composition for the Lincolnshire music education agency Soundlincs, along with Midge Ure, and Oasis performed by 200 young musicians in August 2003.

Whilst living in London Mauricio has maintained his artistic profile in Chile and was recently awarded the “Premio Municipal De Arte” in Coronel his hometown for his outstanding contribution to the music and culture of his country.

CARLOS FUENTES: Carlos was born in Chiguayante, Chile in 1955. He came to London in 1977 having been expelled from Chile by the military dictatorship. He has been working as a professional musician since 1984, performing and touring extensively throughout the UK and Europe with different bands such as Sambatucada, Viramundo and Negrocan. He specializes in playing all of the many Latin and South American percussion styles ranging from Andean and Brazilian to jazz. He has also collaborated with a number of pop artists including Paul Young, and Mike Lindup from Level 42.

RACHEL PANTIN: Rachel is a graduate of the Royal Academy of Music and completed the Performance and Communications Skills Course at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama. Her experience as a performer ranges from classical groups such as London Sinfonietta and Opera Factory to the Palestinian group Sabreen and the Chilean group Quimantu. Composition work includes scores for theatre and dance companies (Aztec, In House and English Eurythmy Theatre) as well as a violin-teaching book and arrangements for school ensemble. Education projects include the Bath Mozartfest and the Salisbury Festival and improvisation workshops for Pro-Corda, the national school for young chamber music players.

GRAHAM PRESKETT: An Associate of the Royal College of Music, Graham has played and collaborated with a variety of artists and musicians from around the world. Benefiting from this experience, Graham has also written successful arrangements for many of the most successful artists around today including Hans Zimmer, Cher, Van Morrison, Meat Loaf, Manfred Mann, Status Quo, Moody Blues, Barbie Benton, Richard Harvey, John Williams and Deep Purple. Recent composition projects include feature films such as The Da Vinci Code, Flushed Away and Tomorrow Never Dies, advertising and television series.

ADOLFREDO PULIDO: Adolfredo was born in 1971, in Caracas, Venezuela. His mother was a professional singer at that time, recording and touring throughout Venezuela. By the age of 7, Adolfredo had started playing the drums in his school band, eventually also playing many different instruments including tuba, trumpet and trombone. At 14 he picked up his first electric bass and formed a covers band in which he played bass and sang, performing at High School events. After graduating from High School Adolfredo pursued his musical development by playing in several original and cover projects, mainly in the Latin and Pop genres, touring Venezuela and the Caribbean. In 1999 he moved to the United States to study music, attending the Players School of Music in Clearwater, Florida where he studied with Bass master Jeff Berlin. Following this he transferred to The Berklee School of Music in Boston USA, where he obtained his Bachelor’s Degree in Professional music, in 2003. He is now based in London and is developing his career in the UK in the Latin, Jazz and World Music circuits.

The ensemble has its own website at www.quimantu.net

Quimantu are Appointed Artists to South East Music Schemes 2007-2008

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