Canto!
Charo Durán
Sings South-American Folklore in Spanish & Dutch
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In the 1970's lots of South American people fled their countries, because of the unsafe environments due to dictatorships and civil wars. They were in search of a new and safer home in other parts of the world. One Bolivian man ended up in The Netherlands and found love in the capital Amsterdam.
As a child of two worlds, with a Bolivian father and a Dutch mother, Charo is always researching an essential human principle: where is my home and what does it mean to be home, where do I belong? Who am I, am I defined by my DNA, the culture I was brought up in, the country I was born in? Am I defined by my gender or age, the (un)conscious choices I make, what I (don't) believe? What defines a human being, where do we differ from each other and what connects us to one another?
After Charo graduated from the Musicaltheatre department of the Conservatory in the Netherlands, she eventually found what touches her heart and fits her like a glove: the South American music she grew up with as a child.
In search of her musical identity, Charo traveled the South American continent, which resulted in an online documentary series featured on YouTube: The South-American Dream. Watch it here.
Charo was inspired to introduce the rich musical folklore tradition of South America, into The Netherlands and the Flemish part of Belgium in her very unique way: she not only sings the songs in the original Spanish lyrics, but writes her own poetic Dutch lyrics to the music.
Her first solo performance "Como un río - Like a river" (2012) featured on many festivals, in small theatres and private events. Charo's second show 'Op zoek naar mi hogar - In search of my home' (2016) was successfully performed on festivals, up until the birth of her son Maël in the beginning of 2017.
Ten years after the death of the most iconic South-American Folklore singer, Charo performed "An hommage to Mercedes Sosa - The voice of South America" in 2019 and 2020 together with Chilean guitarist/singer Alvaro Pinto Lyon.
In the summer of 2021 Charo toured The Netherlands with her show "Un Amor Revolucionario - Latin American Folklore songs about a Revolutionary Love".
In 2022 Charo was a finalist of the Dias Latinos Award, where she performed with a mix of Spoken Word about her bi-cultural identity and folklore songs of Bolivia and Argentina.
In 2023 she will perform her new concert "Alma Andina", where the theme of bi-cultural identity plays a key role. Together with her musical partner Alvaro Pinto Lyon, she interprets the soul of the folklore songs of the Andean region in her very own special way, sung in Dutch, Spanish and Quechua, interwoven with storytelling and Spoken Word. Read more about it down here.
If you are interested in the concerts Charo gives or would like to acquire more information for a performance for your event, please contact through the form on the bottom of the page.
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Alma Andina
De ziel van de Andes / The soul of the Andes
Music, Storytelling and Spoken Word
Het hooggebergte de Andes wordt wel eens de ruggengraat van Zuid-Amerika genoemd.
De muziek uit die Andes kunnen we dan misschien wel zien als het ruggenmerg: het draagt de ziel
van het continent in zich. Daar waar de Europese invloeden zich hebben vermengd met de
inheemse Zuid-Amerikaanse rijkdommen, en nu de identiteit van de Andino cultuur vormen.
Boliviaans-Nederlandse zangeres Charo Durán maakt een vergelijking met de ziel van de Andes en haar eigen ziel, ook een mix van Europese en Zuid-Amerikaanse culturen, in haar nieuwe programma “Alma Andina”. Samen met Chileens gitarist en zanger Alvaro Pinto Lyon, laat zij de stem van haar ziel horen, in oude en nieuwe folklore muziek uit de Andes. Langs de turbulente geschiedenis van onderdrukking en een hedendaagse renaissance van inheems wijsheid en trots. De zang, Storytelling en Spoken Word is in het Spaans, Quechua én Nederlands.
Laat je meevoeren langs de rijke muzikale cultuur van de Andes, in dit muzikale portret van de ziel
van twee continenten vermengd met elkaar: Alma Andina.
Zang, Nederlandse teksten en percussie: Charo Durán
Gitaar, Charango en zang: Alvaro Pinto Lyon
English:
The high mountains of the Andes are sometimes called the backbone of South America.
We can perhaps see the music from the Andes as the spinal cord: it carries the soul
of the continent. Where the European influences have mixed with the
indigenous South American riches, and now form the identity of the Andino culture.
Bolivian-Dutch singer Charo Durán makes a comparison with the soul of the Andes and her own soul, also a mix of European and South American cultures, in her new program “Alma Andina”. Together with Chilean guitarist and singer Alvaro Pinto Lyon, she lets the voice of her soul be heard, in old and new Andino folklore music. We move through the turbulent history of oppression and result in a contemporary renaissance of indigenous wisdom and pride. There is singing, Storytelling and Spoken Word in Spanish, Quechua and Dutch.
Let yourself be transported through the rich musical culture of the Andes, in this musical portrait of the soul
of two continents mixed together: Alma Andina.
Vocals, Dutch lyrics and words, percussion: Charo Durán
Guitar, Charango and vocals: Alvaro Pinto Lyon
Upcoming Events
Sun, Dec 10Jansstraat 33, HaarlemDec 10, 2023, 4:00 PM – 5:00 PMJansstraat 33, Haarlem, Jansstraat 33, 2011 RT Haarlem, NetherlandsOp zondag 10 december zingen de individuele & groepsles zangers tijdens het Kerst met Canto! Concert.
Fri, Dec 01Theater de 3klankDec 01, 2023, 8:00 PMTheater de 3klank, Driehuis, NetherlandsFolklore music from the Andean region, interwoven with Storytelling & Spoken Word
Sun, Jul 09Kapel, Rosenstock Huessy HuisJul 09, 2023, 3:30 PM – 5:00 PMKapel, Rosenstock Huessy Huis, Hagestraat 10, 2011 CV Haarlem, NetherlandsOp zondag 9 juli zingen Koor Canto! en vocal group De Cantantes tijdens het Canto! Concert.
Sun, Jul 09Kapel, Rosenstock Huessy HuisJul 09, 2023, 11:30 AM – 11:35 AMKapel, Rosenstock Huessy Huis, Hagestraat 10, 2011 CV Haarlem, NetherlandsOp zondag 9 juli zingen de individuele & groepsles zangers tijdens het Canto! Concert.- Sun, Jun 25Theaterhuis AmaliaJun 25, 2023, 3:00 PMTheaterhuis Amalia, Wijttenbachweg 43, 2341 VX Oegstgeest, NetherlandsFolklore music from the Andean region, interwoven with Storytelling & Spoken Word
- Sun, Apr 02MungangaApr 02, 2023, 4:00 PMMunganga, Schinkelhavenstraat 27-HS, 1075 VP Amsterdam, NetherlandsFolklore music from the Andean region, interwoven with Storytelling & Spoken Word
Wed, Dec 21Kerk De Stompe TorenDec 21, 2022, 8:30 PMKerk De Stompe Toren , Kerkweg 26, 2064 KS Spaarndam, NetherlandsSamen in kerk de Stompe Toren in Spaarnwoude de wereld een stukje lichter zingen! Iedereen, geoefend of niet, is welkom om mee te zingen tijdens dit benefiet meezing-concert.
Sun, Dec 11Jansstraat33Dec 11, 2022, 4:00 PMJansstraat33 , Jansstraat 33, 2011 RT Haarlem, NetherlandsIndividuele zangleerlingen zingen een solo voor hun publiek in de Jansstraat33 in Haarlem- Sat, Dec 10Spaarndam Gem. HaarlemDec 10, 2022, 8:00 PMSpaarndam Gem. Haarlem, Kerkplein 1, 2063 KB Spaarndam Gem. Haarlem, NetherlandsKoor Canto! en vocal group De Cantantes zingen de pareltjes uit hun repertoire in de Oude Kerk in Spaarndam.
Sat, Jul 02AmersfoortJul 02, 2022, 2:00 PMAmersfoort, Amersfoort, NetherlandsFinale of the Dias Latinos Award 2022 Charo Durán samen met Alvaro Pinto Lyon, brengen de bekendste en ook minder bekende liederen uit de Zuid-Amerikaanse Folklore, uit Bolivia, Argentinië en Chili.- Sat, Oct 30Teatro Munganga, AmsterdamOct 30, 2021, 8:00 PM – 9:30 PMTeatro Munganga, Amsterdam, Schinkelhavenstraat 27, 1075 VP Amsterdam, NetherlandsLatijns-Amerikaanse Folklore liederen over Revolutionaire Liefde
- Sat, Sep 18Mondiaal Centrum, BredaSep 18, 2021, 4:15 PM – 5:15 PMMondiaal Centrum, Breda, Roland Holststraat 71, 4819 HP Breda, NetherlandsLatin-American Folklore songs in Spanish and Dutch / Part of the "Vredesweek" celebration in Mondiaal Centrum, Breda
- Sat, Sep 04Den HaagSep 04, 2021, 1:00 PMDen Haag, Noordeinde 59, 2514 GC Den Haag, NetherlandsLatin-American Folklore songs in Spanish and Dutch / Part of the Embassy Festival in The Hague
- Fri, Sep 03Botanische Tuin Zuidas, AmsterdamSep 03, 2021, 7:00 PMBotanische Tuin Zuidas, Amsterdam, Van der Boechorststraat 8, 1081 BT Amsterdam, NetherlandsLatijns-Amerikaanse Folklore liederen over Revolutionaire Liefde / Als onderdeel van het Huiskamer Festival Amsterdam
- Sun, Aug 29Wijngaard El Placer, LelystadAug 29, 2021, 3:00 PM – 4:30 PMWijngaard El Placer, Lelystad, Groene Velden 140, 8211 BD Lelystad, NetherlandsLatijns-Amerikaanse Folklore liederen over Revolutionaire Liefde
- Sat, Aug 28Mondiaal Centrum, BredaAug 28, 2021, 3:00 PM – 4:30 PMMondiaal Centrum, Breda, Roland Holststraat 71, 4819 HP Breda, NetherlandsLatijns-Amerikaanse Folklore liederen over Revolutionaire Liefde
- Fri, Aug 27Bloeiend Landlust, Alphen aan den RijnAug 27, 2021, 2:00 PM – 3:30 PMBloeiend Landlust, Alphen aan den Rijn, Gnephoek 44, 2401 LP Alphen aan den Rijn, NetherlandsLatijns-Amerikaanse Folklore liederen over Revolutionaire Liefde
- Thu, Aug 26Slachthuisstraat 152Aug 26, 2021, 7:30 PM – 9:00 PMSlachthuisstraat 152, Slachthuisstraat 152, 2033 HM Haarlem, NetherlandsLatijns-Amerikaanse Folklore liederen over Revolutionaire Liefde