Agustin Portillo: Quena bambu

When the music world invites you in, it is hard to say, No, thanks. Agustín Portillo, who has been enriching Bolivian folklore for more than 30 years, knows this well. As an empirical musician and a wonderworker with the quena, he formed his first group, the Puma Punku, in 1977. From that time on he decided to live by and for music.

Years later, Agustín acquired a new interest: manufacture of wind instruments. Many days of learning were necessary to achieve this. Before, the holes were made in the quenas with a hot iron, and the tuning was done by ear. In spite of the rudimentary production technique, the sound of his creations was what he demanded as a musician.

Thanks to his art, Agustín lived in Europe for eight years where his musical techniques grew along with his family. His two sons are chips off the old block, so to speak, with their promising musical talent.

Category:

Music

Tags:

• Quena
• bambu
• bolivia