Eduardo Carrasco
Encyclopedia
Eduardo Guillermo Carrasco Pirard (born July 2, 1940 in Santiago
) is a Chilean musician, university professor of philosophy, author, and one of the founders of the Chilean folk music group Quilapayún
- and the group's musical director from 1969 to 1989.
and then entered the Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile to study philosophy
; he subsequently travelled to Germany to study at the Ruprecht Karl Universitat of Heidelberg. In 1964 he returned to Chile to continue his study of philosophy at the University of Chile and in 1965 he forms the musical ensemble Quilapayun
with his brother Julio Carrasco and his friend Julio Numhauser
.
Carrasco completed his formal study of philosophy in April 1970 when he submitted a thesis on Friedrich Nietzsche
; he then commenced to study music at the National Conservatorium of the University of Chile until the Chilean military coup of September 11, 1973.
The years following the military coup saw Carrasco involved primarily in artistic and political projects. After the coup Quilapayún
becomes the voice of the Chilean resistance and Carrasco tours with the ensemble which performs in the venues in the world, including, Carnegie Hall, Royal Albert Hall, the Olympia in Paris and in the Tokio Centre.
A virtuoso
of the quena
and wind instruments and a distinctive bass vocalist of the group. He appeared as solo vocalist in many of the groups recordings, among them “Pregon Inicial” of the Cantata Santa María de Iquique
; “Con el alma llena de Banderas” of the El pueblo unido jamás sera vencido
album; and "Canción para Víctor Jara
". From the beginning he proved himself as a composer with pieces such as “El canto del cuculi” and “La cueca triste” - co-jointly with Víctor Jara
– and later after acquiring formal training in the field of music he created some of the most significant work of the group, such as “Vals de Colombes”, “Elegia al Che Guevara”, “Ausencia” with Rodolfo Parada
, ”Canción de la esperanza” and “Luz negra”. Carrasco forged the concept of “La revolucion y las estrellas”/(The revolution and the stars) which signified an evolution in the alignment of Quilapayún.
Carrasco has written numerous books including two book about Quilapayún; the first (under the pseudonym of Ignacio Santander) and the second “Quilapayún, la Revolución y Las Estrellas.” He has also publishing numerous works of poetry, philosophy and his conversations with the Chilean painter Roberto Matta
, and with the Chilean philosopher Roberto Torretti
. Once Quilapayún was able to return to Chile
from exile
in 1988, Carrasco maintained that the true place for the group was Chile, since other group members needed to return to France, he decided to remain in Chile and leave the group.
In Chile he has held numerous posts: as professor of philosophy at the Universidad de Chile; as director in the School of Music of the "Sociedad Chilena del Derecho de Author" and in the cultural division of the Chilean Ministry of Education. In 2003 Carrasco formed a Chilean based Quilapayun named Quilapayún Histórico (despite the fact that in France Quilapayún were still releasing new albums and touring as the group had always done whilst in exile) which included some of the original members and Ismael Oddo (the son of Willy Oddo who was assassinated in 1991). Carrasco toured extensively with Quilapayún Histórico and one of their concerts held on September 11, 2003 to commemorate 30th Anniversary of the death of Salvador Allende
was released as a DVD titled ‘El Reencuentro
’ (The Re-encounter).
Santiago, Chile
Santiago , also known as Santiago de Chile, is the capital and largest city of Chile, and the center of its largest conurbation . It is located in the country's central valley, at an elevation of above mean sea level...
) is a Chilean musician, university professor of philosophy, author, and one of the founders of the Chilean folk music group Quilapayún
Quilapayún
Quilapayún are an instrumental and vocal folk music group from Chile and among the longest lasting and most influential exponents of the Nueva Canción Chilena movement. Formed in Chile during the mid-1960s, the group became inseparable with the revolution that occurred in the popular music of the...
- and the group's musical director from 1969 to 1989.
Biography
Carraco studied at the elite José Victorino Lastarria Lyceum in SantiagoSantiago, Chile
Santiago , also known as Santiago de Chile, is the capital and largest city of Chile, and the center of its largest conurbation . It is located in the country's central valley, at an elevation of above mean sea level...
and then entered the Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile to study philosophy
Philosophy
Philosophy is the study of general and fundamental problems, such as those connected with existence, knowledge, values, reason, mind, and language. Philosophy is distinguished from other ways of addressing such problems by its critical, generally systematic approach and its reliance on rational...
; he subsequently travelled to Germany to study at the Ruprecht Karl Universitat of Heidelberg. In 1964 he returned to Chile to continue his study of philosophy at the University of Chile and in 1965 he forms the musical ensemble Quilapayun
Quilapayún
Quilapayún are an instrumental and vocal folk music group from Chile and among the longest lasting and most influential exponents of the Nueva Canción Chilena movement. Formed in Chile during the mid-1960s, the group became inseparable with the revolution that occurred in the popular music of the...
with his brother Julio Carrasco and his friend Julio Numhauser
Julio Numhauser
Julio Numhauser is a Chilean musician of the Nueva Canción-movement. He founded the folk music group Quilapayún in 1965 together with the brothers, Julio Carrasco and Eduardo Carrasco, where he stayed until 1967, and he later founded another folk music group, Amerindios, together with Mario...
.
Carrasco completed his formal study of philosophy in April 1970 when he submitted a thesis on Friedrich Nietzsche
Friedrich Nietzsche
Friedrich Wilhelm Nietzsche was a 19th-century German philosopher, poet, composer and classical philologist...
; he then commenced to study music at the National Conservatorium of the University of Chile until the Chilean military coup of September 11, 1973.
The years following the military coup saw Carrasco involved primarily in artistic and political projects. After the coup Quilapayún
Quilapayún
Quilapayún are an instrumental and vocal folk music group from Chile and among the longest lasting and most influential exponents of the Nueva Canción Chilena movement. Formed in Chile during the mid-1960s, the group became inseparable with the revolution that occurred in the popular music of the...
becomes the voice of the Chilean resistance and Carrasco tours with the ensemble which performs in the venues in the world, including, Carnegie Hall, Royal Albert Hall, the Olympia in Paris and in the Tokio Centre.
A virtuoso
Virtuoso
A virtuoso is an individual who possesses outstanding technical ability in the fine arts, at singing or playing a musical instrument. The plural form is either virtuosi or the Anglicisation, virtuosos, and the feminine form sometimes used is virtuosa...
of the quena
Quena
The quena is the traditional flute of the Andes. Usually made of bamboo or wood, it has 6 finger holes and one thumb hole and is open on both ends. To produce sound, the player closes the top end of the pipe with the flesh between his chin and lower lip, and blows a stream of air downward, along...
and wind instruments and a distinctive bass vocalist of the group. He appeared as solo vocalist in many of the groups recordings, among them “Pregon Inicial” of the Cantata Santa María de Iquique
Cantata Santa María de Iquique
Santa María de Iquique, cantata popular is a cantata composed in 1969 by the Chilean composer Luis Advis Vitaglich, combining elements of both classical and folkloric/indigenous musical traditions to produce what became known as a popular cantata and one of Quilapayún’s most acclaimed and popular...
; “Con el alma llena de Banderas” of the El pueblo unido jamás sera vencido
El pueblo unido jamás será vencido
"¡El pueblo unido, jamás será vencido!" is one of the most internationally renowned songs of the Nueva Cancion Chilena movement. The music of the song was composed by Sergio Ortega and the text written by Quilapayún...
album; and "Canción para Víctor Jara
Víctor Jara
Víctor Lidio Jara Martínez was a Chilean teacher, theatre director, poet, singer-songwriter, political activist and member of the Communist Party of Chile...
". From the beginning he proved himself as a composer with pieces such as “El canto del cuculi” and “La cueca triste” - co-jointly with Víctor Jara
Víctor Jara
Víctor Lidio Jara Martínez was a Chilean teacher, theatre director, poet, singer-songwriter, political activist and member of the Communist Party of Chile...
– and later after acquiring formal training in the field of music he created some of the most significant work of the group, such as “Vals de Colombes”, “Elegia al Che Guevara”, “Ausencia” with Rodolfo Parada
Rodolfo Parada
Rodolfo Parada Lillo is a Chilean musician, composer, engineer and anthropologist. Parada joined Quilapayún in 1968, which made the group into a sextet - the formation which recorded the “Cantata Santa María de Iquique. Upon joining the group he became the major solo voice of the ensemble Rodolfo...
, ”Canción de la esperanza” and “Luz negra”. Carrasco forged the concept of “La revolucion y las estrellas”/(The revolution and the stars) which signified an evolution in the alignment of Quilapayún.
Carrasco has written numerous books including two book about Quilapayún; the first (under the pseudonym of Ignacio Santander) and the second “Quilapayún, la Revolución y Las Estrellas.” He has also publishing numerous works of poetry, philosophy and his conversations with the Chilean painter Roberto Matta
Roberto Matta
Roberto Sebastián Antonio Matta Echaurren , better known as Roberto Matta, was one of Chile's best-known painters and a seminal figure in 20th century abstract expressionist and surrealist art....
, and with the Chilean philosopher Roberto Torretti
Roberto Torretti
Roberto Torretti is a Chilean philosopher, author and academic who is internationally renowned for his contributions to the history of philosophy, physics and mathematics.-Biography:...
. Once Quilapayún was able to return to Chile
Chile
Chile ,officially the Republic of Chile , is a country in South America occupying a long, narrow coastal strip between the Andes mountains to the east and the Pacific Ocean to the west. It borders Peru to the north, Bolivia to the northeast, Argentina to the east, and the Drake Passage in the far...
from exile
Exile
Exile means to be away from one's home , while either being explicitly refused permission to return and/or being threatened with imprisonment or death upon return...
in 1988, Carrasco maintained that the true place for the group was Chile, since other group members needed to return to France, he decided to remain in Chile and leave the group.
In Chile he has held numerous posts: as professor of philosophy at the Universidad de Chile; as director in the School of Music of the "Sociedad Chilena del Derecho de Author" and in the cultural division of the Chilean Ministry of Education. In 2003 Carrasco formed a Chilean based Quilapayun named Quilapayún Histórico (despite the fact that in France Quilapayún were still releasing new albums and touring as the group had always done whilst in exile) which included some of the original members and Ismael Oddo (the son of Willy Oddo who was assassinated in 1991). Carrasco toured extensively with Quilapayún Histórico and one of their concerts held on September 11, 2003 to commemorate 30th Anniversary of the death of Salvador Allende
Salvador Allende
Salvador Allende Gossens was a Chilean physician and politician who is generally considered the first democratically elected Marxist to become president of a country in Latin America....
was released as a DVD titled ‘El Reencuentro
El Reencuentro
El Reencuentro was the name that six ex-members of famous group Menudo used for their comeback concert remembering Menudo's Golden Era. Ricky Melendez, Rene Farrait, Miguel Cancel, Johnny Lozada, Ray Reyes and Charlie Masso re-joined to celebrate the 15th Anniversary of their success in Latin...
’ (The Re-encounter).
Awards
Carrasco has earned numerous award from Chile and from international organizations, including:- Orden al Mérito Docente y Cultural Gabriela Mistral
- Premio de la Academia "Charles le Gros"
- Diploma of Honor with the highest distinctions awarded by the OASOrganization of American StatesThe Organization of American States is a regional international organization, headquartered in Washington, D.C., United States...
and the Interamerican Council of Music of Washington DC - Ordre des Arts et des LettresOrdre des Arts et des LettresThe Ordre des Arts et des Lettres is an Order of France, established on 2 May 1957 by the Minister of Culture, and confirmed as part of the Ordre national du Mérite by President Charles de Gaulle in 1963...
awarded by the Ministry of Culture of the French Government
Selected bibliography
- Campanaas del mar, lectura filosófica de Pablo Neruda (1995)
- Quilapayún, la revolución y las estrellas (2003)
- Autorretrato, Nuevas conversaciones con Matta (2002)
- Para leer “Así habló Zaratustra de F. Nietzsche (2002)
- Palabra de hombre, Tractatus philosophiae chilensis (2002)
- Conversaciones con Matta (2002)
- En el cielo las estrellas. Conversaciones con Roberto Torretti (2006)
- Heidegger y la historia del ser (2007)
- El Hombre y lo Otro (2008)
- Conversaciones con José Antonio Camacho (2008)
- Nietzsche y los judíos (2008)
Studio albums
- QuilapayúnQuilapayún (Album)Quilapayún is the self-titled debut album released by the Chilean musical group Quilapayún in 1966.-Track listing:#"La paloma"/The dove #"El forastero"/The foreigner...
(1966) - Canciones folklóricas de América (1967) (Quilapayún & Víctor JaraVíctor JaraVíctor Lidio Jara Martínez was a Chilean teacher, theatre director, poet, singer-songwriter, political activist and member of the Communist Party of Chile...
) - X VietnamX Vietnam (album)X Vietnam or Por Vietnam is an album by Quilapayún released in 1968. This was among the first albums to be released under the DICAP label and was a success upon its release in Chile...
(1968) - Quilapayún Tres (1968)
- BastaBasta (album)Basta is an album that was released by Quilapayún in 1969. It brings together an eclectic and diverse collections of popular/folk songs and anthems from different parts of the World: from across Latin America, the former USSR, and Italy...
(1969) - Quilapayún Cuatro (1970)
- Cantata Santa María de IquiqueCantata Santa María de IquiqueSanta María de Iquique, cantata popular is a cantata composed in 1969 by the Chilean composer Luis Advis Vitaglich, combining elements of both classical and folkloric/indigenous musical traditions to produce what became known as a popular cantata and one of Quilapayún’s most acclaimed and popular...
(1970) (Quilapayún & Héctor Duvauchelle) - Vivir como él (1971)
- Quilapayún Cinco (1972)
- La Fragua (1973)(Texto & Músic by Sergio OrtegaSergio OrtegaSergio Ortega was a Chilean composer and pianist.- Biography :Ortega was born in Antofagasta, Chile. He studied composition with Roberto Falabella and with Gustavo Becerra-Schmidt in the National Conservatory at the Universidad de Chile...
) - El pueblo unido jamás será vencido (Yhtenäistä Kansaa Ei Voi (1974)
- El Pueblo Unido Jamás Será VencidoEl Pueblo Unido Jamás Será Vencido (album)¡El Pueblo Unido Jamás Será Vencido! is a music album released by the Chilean folk group Quilapayún in 1975.-Content:...
(1975) - Adelante (1975)
- PatriaPatria (album)Patria is an album released by the Chilean folk group Quilapayún in 1975.-Track listing:#“Mi patria”/My Homeland #“El paso del ñandú”/The passing of the ñandu...
(1976) - La marche et le drapeau (1977)
- Cantata Santa María de Iquique (Nueva versión) (1978) (Quilapayún & Jean-Louis BarraultJean-Louis BarraultJean-Louis Barrault was a French actor, director and mime artist, training that served him well when he portrayed the 19th-century mime Jean-Gaspard Deburau in Marcel Carné's 1945 film Les Enfants du Paradis .Jean-Louis Barrault studied with Charles Dullin in whose troupe he acted...
) - Umbral (1979)
- Darle al otoño un golpe de ventana... (1980)
- La revolución y las estrellas (1982)
- Sandino (1983)
- Tralalí Tralalá (1984)
- Survarío (1987)
- Carrasco (1996)
- Siempre (2007)
Live albums
- Enregistrement public (1977)
- Alentours (1980)
- Quilapayún en Argentina (1983) (Live in Argentina)
- Quilapayún en Argentina Vol II (1985) (Live in Argentina Vol. II)
- Quilapayún en Chile (1989) (Live in Chile)
- El Reencuentro (2004)
- Musica en la Memoria - Juntos en Chile (2005) (with Inti-IllimaniInti-IllimaniInti-Illimani is an instrumental and vocal Latin American folk music ensemble from Chile. The group was formed in 1967 by a group of university students and it acquired widespread popularity in Chile for their song Venceremos which became the anthem of the Popular Unity government of Salvador...
)