Music of the Americas: Andean Lullaby

Wednesday, May 13, 10 am

Upa (Rafaela Medina, Sebastián Oviedo, and Carlos Villagómez) is an Ecuadoran musical project designed for young children, seeking to create an atmosphere of connection and love between the baby and their loved ones. Through songs, this project aims to accompany and enrich the baby's daily routine, transforming it into an experience filled with music and joy.

From Quito, they sent us this viedo of “Canción de cuna," a sweet lullaby composed by Medina that invites us to connect with our babies during the quiet hours of the night and sleep. Guitars and mandolins, bombos and chajchas, synthesizers and vocals come together in this track to become a part of our children’s daily routine.

Thursday, May 14, 10 am

Ensamble A Contratiempo (harpist Ángel Tolosa Moreno and cuatrista player José Luis Tolosa) fuses a wide range of world music traditions with deep Afro-Caribbean and Venezuelan roots. The ensemble features the Venezuelan harp and the cuatro (Venezuela’s emblematic four-string guitar). The project is led by brothers Ángel and José Luis Tolosa are acclaimed performers, educators, and musicologists who have built careers that integrate performance, research, and cultural management, showcasing the richness of Venezuelan music through a dialogue with jazz, contemporary idioms, and world music. 

"Orquídea," composed in 1960 by Hugo Blanco, a major figure in 20th-century Venezuelan popular music who also composed the classic "El burrito sabanero" and, possibly "Moliendo café" (there is an unresoved authorship dispute between Blanco and his uncle José Manzo Perroni). "Orquídea" was the foundational work of a unique rhythmic genre. This piece employs a 4/4 time signature and fuses melodic sophistication with Caribbean freshness. 

Friday, May 15, 10 am

Argentine guitarists Daiana Billoni and Luis Aybar studied classical guitar but perform mostly folk music. They have been members of the the Ensamble de Guitarras San Fernando and the Cuarteto de Guitarras Cuatro Estaciones and performed as soloists throughout Argentina. Luis Aybar teaches at the Conservatorio Mario Zambonini in the city of Catamarca in the northeast of the country, while Daiana Billoni is a street artist who has garnered public acclaim across Latin America.

From Catamarca, they sent this version of "Milongueo del Ayer" (Yesterday's Milonga), a classic of Argentine guitar music. It is a milonga campera, a style related to the popular music of Argentina's southern region and the interior of the province of Buenos Aires and characterized by rather nostalgic melodies, in contrast to the milonga urbana—the urban style—which is more lively and representative of the city of Buenos Aires.

The MetLife Foundation Music of the Americas concert series is made possible by the generous support of Presenting Sponsor MetLife Foundation.

The 2025–2026 series is also supported, in part, by the Howard Gilman Foundation, Ernst von Siemens Music Foundation, Fan Fox and Leslie R. Samuels Foundation, New York City Department of Cultural Affairs in partnership with the City Council, the New York State Council on the Arts with the support of the Office of the Governor and the New York State Legislature, The Augustine Foundation, the Alice M. Ditson Fund of Columbia University, and The Amphion Foundation.