International Baroque Music Festival
International American Reinaissance and Baroque Music Festival, Chiquitos, Bolivia
The region of Santa Cruz in southeastern Bolivia, bordering with Brazil, was named “Chiquitos” by the Jesuit missionaries from Europe who arrived in the late 17th century. The Jesuits brought their European instruments like violins, viols, flutes and harpsichords to these indigenous jungle communities, who adapted to them and became talented baroque and renaissance musicians, a tradition preserved to the present day—even after the expulsion of the Jesuits in 1767.
The old Jesuit missions of Chiquitos: San Javier, Concepción, San Ignacio, Santa Ana, San Rafael, San Miguel (1691 – 1767) and those of Moxos (1681 – 1767) represent one of the most important treasures pertaining to the national and regional culture heritage.
During the restoration process of Jesuitic temples at the aforementioned missions, a musical wealth of the first magnitude was discovered: more than 5,000 sacred music sheets in Chiquitos and another 4,000 in Moxos, written by both European and local indigenous composers between the XVII and XVIII centuries. This music was used to play in those missional towns every day up to mid-nineteenth century. It should be added to this treasure that in 1991 the UNESCO has declared six missional towns and the temples therein a Humankind Cultural Heritage.
In order to preserve the beauty of this world heritage, and disseminate the wealthy musical archive of Chiquitos and Moxos, a bunch of volunteers entertained the idea of organizing an international musical festival which would have the magnificent temples as its stage scenery; however this goal is deeply rooted in a grounding “leit motiv”: to awaken the citizens to the importance of this historical legacy as the kernel of our culture identity by means of turning the old Jesuit Missions of Chiquitos and Moxos into public knowledge icons, disclosing besides an unknown facet of our own country which involves several pillars from its cultural wealth.
Since 1996 such dream is being successfully accomplished. Deemed to be the most important cultural event within Bolivia, and the world’s largest event at its kind, the festival is carried out by APAC (Asociación Pro Arte y Cultura) every two years. The next one will be held in April, 2026. While specific dates for the next music festival in 2026 have not yet been announced, it typically occurs in April. As soon as the dates are confirmed, we’ll be sure to update this site promptly. In the meantime, if you’re interested in experiencing a unique musical local event, we would recommend attending the Festival de Temporada. Held annually on the last weekend of August, this festival takes place amidst the stunning Jesuit missions of the Chiquitania region. It offers a rich cultural experience, featuring traditional music, dance, theater and local cuisine.
Contact us for info on our 5D/4N trip to the Jesuit missions during the Music Festival. (Small group departures, limited places available, so book early.)
This festival constitutes a joyous occasion, wherein music makes tropical forests harmonize with scattered tokens of Baroque architecture which are throughout a journey 3,000 kilometers long interspersed among conspicuous symbols of art and craft, that depict the living multiculturalism actually existing in 18 communities which are found in Eastern Bolivia.
Source: APAC – Festival Organizer.
- Download the schedule of the International Baroque music Festival Chiquitos 2024.
- Over a 1000 musicians from all over the world perform music written in the XIII and XVIII centuries by Jesuit missionaries and native “Chiquitanos” living in the old Jesuit missions. This musical festival is one of the most important cultural meetings in Bolivia and one of the most internationally projected.
- The XII version of the Misiones de Chiquitos Baroque Music Festival started with 11 concerts on the first day in nine of the venues. The Choir and the Orchestra of San Javier and the German School Schulspatzen were in charge of opening the presentations in the Chiquitos region. The Tarija Philharmonic Orchestra made the world premiere of the 16th Pedro Ximénez and Julliard 415 symphony and the Urubichá Choir sang like angels in the cosmopolitan capital of Santa Cruz de la Sierra.
International Baroque Music Festival accomplishments:
The International Baroque Music Festival in the Bolivian Mission Towns region of Chiquitos/Chiquitania (since 1996) has achieved many accomplishments:
- The festival is enrolled in the circuit of the most important musical festivals of the world.
- The festival has been sistered with the Festival of Sarrebourg (France) one of most important of Europe.
- A series of videos has been published, in which the festival is not only promoted, but the whole Chiquitana region from the tourist point of view.
- The festival has published several compact discs (CD’s) with a selection of representative music from each Festival in which priority to the music of Chiquitos.
- Support has been obtained for the improvement of the manufacture of violins in all the region of Guarayos has been obtained.
- Support of the Government of Holland has been obtained for the project of musical formation of the children and young people of Urubicha.
The old musical archive discovered in the Jesuit missions in Chiquitos, Bolivia is a real treasure, a musical time capsule. One example are the music compositions by the Italian Jesuit Baroque composer and missionary Domenico Zipoli (1688-1726): two Masses, two psalm settings, three Office hymns, a Te Deum laudamus and other pieces. The opera: “San Ignacio de Loyola”, often performed during the Baroque Music Festival and compiled by Martin Schmid (1694-1772) Swiss Jesuit missionary, musician and architect) in Chiquitos has been attributed to Zipoli. Listen to Ychepe Flauta – Martin Schmid/Anonimo, part of the musical archive.
International Baroque Music Festival in the media:
– The program “The Strand”, BBC network from UK about the VIII International Baroque Music Festival 2010 held in Abril/May 210 with an interview to Fr. Piotr Nawrot (artistic director of the Baroque Music Festival-Chiquitos), Mr. Ashley Solomon (director of UK Baroque Music Ensemble ‘Florilegium’) and Simon Aguape (talented Guarani indian violinist)- go to minute 14:40.
– CBS documentary: Searching for Baroque in Bolivia.
– NPR Music interview: Bolivian Mission towns revive Baroque Legacy by Julie McCarthy.
– New York times article: Jesuit Legacy in the Bolivian Jungle: A love of Baroque Music.
– (in Spanish) RTVE radio magazine: Sinfonía de la mañana: Violines en la selva (May 25, 2023). Go to minute 29:50 and listen to versions of Sphera AntiQva, music by Domenico Zipoli, conducted by Javier Ulises Illán, minute 53:00 the Bolivian Ensamble Moxos and minute 1:08 the English Ensemble Florilegium (voice: Henry Vilca).
Listen to the Opera y Misa de los indios.
Would you like to hear the music of the performances? Then come visit our office to check our selection of CD´s and books.
Interested in knowing more about when/how to attend the next International Baroque Music Festival? Contact us for info on our 4D/3N (April -Mayo 2024) trip to the Jesuit missions during the Music Festival!
Is it not possible for you to plan your visit during the music festivals? No problem, we can arrange a private mini-concert so you can taste a bit of it during your visit to the beautiful missions!
Read the comments from people who have traveled with us to the Jesuit Missions during the International Baroque Music Festival.
