Juan Rivero, composer · Pablo Salcedo, soloist
Movement I
The rhythmic drive of the Argentine dance opens the dialogue between quena and orchestra.
Movement II
The Andean landscape and the instrument’s millennia-old bond with the mountains.
Movement III
The wind’s melody in an atmosphere of reverie, between tradition and modernity.
Movement IV
The rhythmic, energetic excitement of the traditional Latin American dance.
World premiere with the Mendoza Philharmonic Orchestra · More videos on YouTube
The Concerto for Markama Chromatic Quena and String Orchestra by Argentine composer Juan Rivero marks a milestone in the history of the quena — and, in particular, of the innovation developed by Lars Nilsson on this ancestral Andean instrument. The four-movement work is the first ever written expressly for this chromatic system.
Chromaticism runs through every movement — meticulously measured, never overstated — in balance with the pentatonic and diatonic idioms traditionally associated with the instrument.
An opening that showcases the rhythmic drive of this Argentine dance, with vivid interplay between orchestra and soloist. The chacarera air evokes bombo drum and guitar rhythms, recreated in the orchestral texture.
The Andean landscape reflected in a musical discourse that paints colors upon the instrument’s millennia-old bond with the mountains. Melodies that suggest epic vistas, rooted in the labor of the land.
The wind’s melody drifts among the harmonies of piano and orchestra, in a blend of tradition and modernity. The quena soars through virtuosic phrases that conjure an atmosphere of reverie.
A renewal of rhythmic, energetic excitement, true to the spirit of this quintessential traditional Latin American dance.
Dedicated to Lars Nilsson and Pablo Salcedo, the work opens a new compositional horizon where music of popular roots and the academic tradition converge in harmony.
This model makes full chromaticism possible without half-holes, preserving the simplicity of a single cane tube. An instrumental innovation that considerably expanded the technical possibilities of the traditional Andean quena.
It has been used since the early 1980s on every recording by the prestigious ensemble MARKAMA.
Pianist, arranger, and composer born in Buenos Aires in 1967. He trained at the Manuel de Falla Conservatory and at EMPA with Manolo Juárez (folklore), Orlando Trípodi (tango), and Juan Dargenton (jazz).
He was a member of Raúl Carnota’s quartet and of guitarist Luis Borda’s trio, with two European tours. He was pianist at the legendary Café Tortoni for seven years and with the Sexteto Milonguero, touring the United States and Europe. He is currently pianist at renowned tango houses such as Faena Rojo Tango and Café de los Angelitos.
His works include Suite Piazzolla, Suite argentina for piano and string orchestra, the Concerto for Bandoneon and String Orchestra, and the present Concerto for Markama Chromatic Quena and String Orchestra. Between 2010 and 2012 he wrote the arrangements for, and performed on, Pablo Salcedo’s album Gardel.
Follow Juan · @juanriveromusicaI remember, as if it were yesterday, the impression it made on me to hear the group Markama on the radio, and Lars Nilsson’s playing. From that moment on, Markama became one of my great references whenever I sat down to compose.
When I was invited to take on the immense challenge of composing the first concerto for the Markama chromatic quena, I saw my chance to add my own grain of sand to this great Argentine and Latin American music I love so deeply. With this work, I hope to awaken the interest and curiosity of the future performers of this instrument, which is already part of our cultural heritage.
Multi-instrumentalist, composer, and performer. He holds a degree in flute performance from the Universidad Nacional de Cuyo (Mendoza, Argentina) and a Master’s in Ethnomusicology from the University of Maryland (USA). Founder and professor of the Andean Winds program at UNCuyo. A world-leading exponent of the Markama chromatic quena.
His intensive artistic and teaching career includes six solo albums and six with the acclaimed ensemble MARKAMA, with concerts and courses at universities in the United States, Sweden, India, and Brazil, and solo appearances with the Mendoza Philharmonic Orchestra, the UNCuyo Symphony, the Bahía Blanca Symphony, the San Juan Symphony, and the Juan de Dios Filiberto Orchestra.
Learn more at pablosalcedo.org
“The work represents a milestone in contemporary Latin American music, being devoted specifically to the Markama chromatic quena — an instrumental innovation that considerably expanded the technical possibilities of the traditional Andean quena.”
Los Andes newspaper · Mendoza — translated from the Spanish
Read the full article (in Spanish) →