Fresh from their premier Australian performance at the Port Fairy Folk Festival, the Subhira Quintet is coming to Byron Bay on Saturday, the 18th of March. One of the
most innovative ensembles in world music, with 25 years experience and 19 albums, The Subhira Quintet has played in world music festivals throughout South America,
Canada, the USA, and Europe, and are now on their first ever Australian tour.
The Subhira Quintet blends progressive and contemporary world music, jazz, and folk, combining the musical and ethnic roots of their native Chile and other countries with classical music, jazz, the rich traditional dancing music of South America.
“It is a total treat that they are coming here! I met Subhira, the composer and ‘soul’ of the band, 25 years ago while helping run Deep Ecology workshops in Chile. I love how connections can stay alive and help bridge cultures - and what better way than with music!? Do not miss seeing them play here”, says local, Terri Nicholson.
Subhira Quintet have played at many of the main world music festivals of Chile, North America and Europe. Their progressive musical style combines world music, jazz, electronica and folk, and their compositions mix rhythms and languages from the native people of South America. They call their style “wild contemporary world music”.
The soul of the band is Rodrigo Cepeda. He graduated with a degree in Composition from the Modern School of Music and a Master of Arts in Composition from the Conservatory of Music, University of Chile, Santiago. After more than twenty-five years of professional music, he has released 15 albums, played hundreds of concerts and international tours.
Also an environmental activist with indigenous Aymaran ancestry, Subhira’s music celebrates the magnificent forests, mountains and other natural places of Chile, and has soundtracked major environmental campaigns. Alongside Rodrigo on piano and other eclectic indigenous instruments, the quintet includes Francisco Martinez on cello, Fernanda Jachi Prieto on violin, Ema Morales on flute, Rebeka Martinez on drums. What they weave musically is stunning. The visual component plays an important role in the work of this quartet, and their concerts areoften accompanied by stunning footage about the lives of different South American ethnicities.
SUBHIRA QUINTETO plays the Byron Theatre on Saturday 18th March, 8:30pm - 10:30pm, where they will share their stunning music and culture.
Purchase tickets here.