Workshop - Reinterpretation of Andean Music

Reinterpretation of Andean Music

Wednesday 21 October 2026 · 6:30 PM
Room S1, First Floor, Alison Richard Building
7 West Road, Cambridge CB3 9DP

With:
Vivi Guerrero — Singer & Songwriter
John Jairo Pantoja — Charango player

Chair:
Dr Grace Livingstone — University of Cambridge

About the workshop

A journey through the mind and experiences of an artist who reimagines sounds, narratives and perspectives through the reinterpretation of Andean music.

This talk explores how music can be used to reshape stories that have often been told through narrow perceptions, and how music moves across ancestral, urban, tropical and performative styles.

Vivi will take the audience into the world of songs such as “Tumaco”, an Afro-roots song inspired by a town on Colombia’s Pacific coast, historically isolated and frequently reduced to narratives of violence. Through the song, Vivi presents Tumaco as a territory deeply rich in culture, biodiversity and identity.

“Bienvenido al Sur” connects local culture from the Andean mountains with the experience of visiting the south of Colombia, while “Carnavalera” mixes the raw energy of carnival marching bands with electronic beats while celebrating the traditions of the Carnaval de Negros y Blancos, recognised by UNESCO as Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.

Although we cannot bring the whole street band to the University, this talk includes a sample of this energy brought to life through selected live music.

About Vivi Guerrero

Vivi Guerrero is an experimental Latin artist, singer and songwriter whose music brings together urban, tropical and ancestral influences. Blending Latin American instruments with urban and electronic sounds, her work is shaped by an intense and poetic vision of the world.

She has performed internationally across Europe and beyond, including appearances in London, Glasgow, Edinburgh, Dubai and Paris. Her UK performances have included the Edinburgh Festival Fringe, Carnaval del Pueblo and Alexandra Palace.

Further information

This event is organised by the Centre of Latin American Studies (CLAS), University of Cambridge.

Explore our other upcoming events:
https://www.latin-american.cam.ac.uk/latest-news-and-events

Registration required.