Andrés Chávez shows his love of music by creating and organizing the international meeting of flutists, “El Flautín del Bosque,” which takes place in his home country of Colombia.
Courtesy of Andrei Smirnoff
Graduate student Andrés Chávez takes his love of music to a new level by organizing the second international meeting of flutists.
“El Flautín del Bosque,” which is part of the “A la sombra del Tatamá” festival, is a four day event where flutists can take part in masters classes with national and internationally renowned flute masters.
“There are conferences, concerts and rehearsals with the participants; students have the chance to take part of the flute orchestras of the festival,” said Chávez.
This meeting takes place Jul. 7 to 10 in Santuario-Risaralda, Colombia and is sponsored by the ONG “Corpcam” and the agreement national program by the Colombian ministry of Culture.
Some students are already planning to attend next year’s festival.
“One of its graduate program students is doing an international festival in his home country,” says Chávez. “We have planned together with some teachers of Southeastern to go to Colombia in 2017 for the third edition.”
With this program, Chávez shares what he hopes comes from this festival.
“My goal is to decentralize the culture in my country, specifically in my region,” said Chávez. “I consider it important to give opportunities to other students to be in touch with other cultures and to learn more about their music throughout the flute and the traditional instruments in the coffee region where the international meeting of flutists “El Flautín del Bosque” is located.”
According to Chávez, the festival is free and he thinks more people should take part in it.
“It is a great opportunity to interchange knowledge, to learn about our traditional and academic music, but also about these instruments (flute, guitar tiple and bandola),” said Chávez. “This project is a space for the construction of peace. Music opens doors that words cannot and projects like this allow people to be in touch with other experiences. These spaces are important for the communities to recognize their roots, their cultural identity and to generate dialogues between cultures.”
Chávez also wants people to see that this is more than just a festival.
“This international meeting of flutists is a great opportunity to highlight the Colombian talent and to show that Colombia is not only ‘drugs and war,’” said Chávez. “We also have many wonderful things to show to the world and for these wonderful things we want to be remembered.”
Chávez shared that this festival has done a lot for what he loves.
“This project means a lot to me just because I am doing what I love to do in life, music and sharing spaces where we can be in contact with the world,” said Chávez. “Thanks to the chances I have had to participate in festivals, now I am here in Southeastern Louisiana University earning a masters in music performance.”
Chávez also loves that music is his dream and wants to continue in this path.
“Music is my life, it is my space to dream and to bring dreams into reality such as this project,” said Chávez. “Music is the bridge to share and to establish dialogues or the bridge to enjoy life.”