< ETHNIC / WORLD - LATIN AMERICAN

HENRY VILCA YUPANQUI

Henry Vilca Yupanqui, born in Peru with Incan forebears, has played to audiences around the world, taking his unique blend of traditional Andean music and more modern influences to people in South America, Africa and Europe. Henry’s musical beginnings can be traced to a time in South American history when folklore and traditional instruments and music were censured and viewed as revolutionary tools by the right-wing governments in power at the time. Despite the difficulties of promoting albums and taking his music to the people, Henry formed a number of successful collaborations and developed a unique and popular musical style. This is influenced by the Andean folklore traditions and cradled in the culture of the Inca, with melodies typical of the region and the ritual dances of the Andean people, like vals, huayno, the tondero, tinku, sikuri and others. The development of Henry’s musical style continued with the influence of diverse genres including more international types of popular music. Participation in national events and festivals and at schools in Peru increased Henry’s public profile as a musician.

Henry’s popularity as a musician opened up the opportunity for him to travel to Ecuador in 1993. There he played in a number of festivals and venues including Quito, at the equator, Baños, Tumbaco, Otavalo, and others. Ecuador opened the door to various new musical influences and experiences. Upon his return to Peru, he worked to a busy schedule and shared the stage with popular Peruvian groups, those with Latin American folklore roots and foreign musicians touring Peru. Henry soon received an invitation to collaborate with a group in Denmark and played in venues in Copenhagen, Arhus, Odense and other cities. He was also invited to travel to Germany, and played in Leipzig. Upon his return to Peru, Henry continued to play to a diverse range of audiences, until moving to Uruguay in 1998 in order to work on the production of a CD with Incallajta, a group based in Montevideo. While working on the CD, Henry was also engaged to play at the Theatre Zitarroza. Upon completion of the CD and his contract at the Theatre Zitarroza, Henry played in the cities of Colonia, Punta del Este and elsewhere. Thereafter he played to audiences in Brazil, Paraguay, Bolivia and Argentina in diverse venues including theatres, schools, hotels, at government functions and others.

In the summer of 2002, Henry played in collaboration with Wari in Norway, in a series of performances in Oslo, Trohdheim, Tromso, and elsewhere. Upon his return to South America, he was invited to join the group Kusillajta, based in Buenos Aires, Argentina, and eventually became co-director. Henry had already worked with the group, releasing the CD Pensando en Volver, in 1998. With Kusillajta, Henry was the primary instrumentalist on CD’s released in 2003 and 2004, Kusikuy and Horizontes. The group has played at corporate functions, festivals, and government events and in a range of other contexts across the country, including in Cordova, Mendoza and San Juan. In Buenos Aires , the group has been engaged for functions at the Hotels Bolivar, Sheraton, Bristol and others. Henry has also worked in collaboration with the artists Mari Sano from Japan and Diego Tueros from Spain, exploring different musical styles and combining genres and instruments in an innovative and dynamic way. The fusion of their three styles led to Sano, Tueros and Vilca Yupanqui to winning a national competition organized by the government of Argentina in December of 2004.

Henry’s experiences and collaborations have contributed to the growth of his musical vision, yet he remains loyal to his Incan roots, fusing the sound of traditional Andean instruments like the quena, zampona, siku and charango, with other instruments. Henry’s engagement with music has been fundamental to his life, and as his experiences have influenced his music, so too has his music shaped him. With projects and ideas to interpret melodies of the world, Henry’s musical path follows its course...