Augsburg University ¡Peru 2023!

May 2023.

Rafael led a music department tour of Augsburg University students to Peru for a two-week stay in the capital Lima and in Cusco, the heart of the Inca civilization. The trip consisted of cultural learning and engagement through guided tours of archaeological sites in the Andes including a visit to Machu Picchu, guided tours of Lima’s historic center, a gastronomy tour, and a visit to Paracas and the Peruvian desert in the south.

Students engaged in two educational outreach projects during their stay in Lima. The first was a short residency (4 rehearsals and concert) with the Ministry of Education program, Orquestando. Modeled on similar “Sistema” programs ubiquitous throughout Latin America, Orquestando promotes social justice and seeks transformational change by engaging local youth from marginal or underserved districts in Lima through music studies and performance. Rafael’s collaboration with this organization goes back to 2019 with yearly visits, but this is the first time that he has been able to bring students from the U.S. to work with these young Peruvian musicians. The second project brought together three private schools from Lima for a series of rehearsals and concert performance. Featuring Peruvian, American, and British private schools in this workshop, Augsburg students had the chance to make music with them, sharing some of their perspectives and coaching in sectionals.