Latin American Concert with Inti-Illimani and Los Llaneros

Two groups from South America, Inti-Illimani and Los Llaneros, will come together in Minneapolis for a benefit concert, with the participation of students of a local school to support students from an impoverished school in Chile.

Music, and the desire to make a random act of kindness, is what brings all of this and all of us together!

The concert will take place on May 17th (2015) at 7:30 pm in The Cedar Cultural Center in Minneapolis, but fans anywhere in the world will be able to watch and listen to the concert via internet live-stream.

About Inti-Illimani and Los Llaneros

The legendary Chilean group Inti-Illimani will perform alongside US-based folk group Los Llaneros, with the proceeds going directly to benefit the Sol del Illimani School in Santiago, Chile, which is run by Inti-Illimani. This school is located in one of the poorest neighborhoods of Santiago, and teaches students not only the a-b-c’s along with how to play music, but more importantly, how to be better human beings.

Colombian Karin Stein is the director of Los Llaneros and the organizer for the May 17th benefit concert. I had the opportunity to interview her for Latino Music Café and discover how a visit she paid to the school motivated her to find a way to help these kids (audio in Spanish).

 

This concert will be a treat for fans of folk Latin American music. Chilean group Inti-Illimani is a pioneer of the “nueva canción” movement in Latin America.

Formed in Chile during the politically turbulent period of 1967, the adopted the “nueva canción” movement that highlighted social and political messages in the songs. After being exiled for 15 years following the 1973 military coup in Chile (which they called the longest tour ever), they returned to their homeland more convinced to be part of the solution rather than of the many protesters.

Folk group Los Llaneros has been playing and educating fans on the music of the “llanos” (savannah) between Colombia and Venezuela since 1978. Three of the four members of the group are Colombians, and the remaining one is from Panama.

The music of the “llanos” is known as “llanera” and although it’s shared by this region of Colombia and Venezuela, it’s commonly known as folk Venezuelan music.

Karin Stein explained to me the llanera music and the use of the harp and other instruments that make this music so beautiful (audio in Spanish).

Concert to Enjoy Good Music, Learn, and Contribute

This concert provides you and me the opportunity to listen to good music, learn about our Latin American roots, and make a small act of kindness by making a donation to this cause.

If you are within driving distance from Minneapolis, then you have the benefit of being able to enjoy the concert with these two bands live! If not, then you can go to the below sites to get to the live stream via the internet:

http://www.losllaneros.com/
http://inti-illimani.cl

I hope you consider enjoying the Inti-Illimani and Los Llaneros concert and making a contribution to help support the school.