In a unique project developed with Artsreach, the iconic Anglo-Chilean band Quimantú is collaborating with community singers from Dorset choirs to perform Misa de los Mineros, 'The Miners' Mass', in a series of concerts across the county.
Five decades ago, Mauricio Venegas-Astorga escaped from the Pinochet dictatorship in Chile and made the UK his home. Quimantú, has shaped the musical scene for over four decades and now, through the Surtierra Project, they seek to break the stigmas associated with immigration caused by war, persecution, or poverty.
The Misa de los Mineros is a powerful musical piece, fusing elements of British culture with profound Latin American roots. Composed by Mauricio in 1998, the work was conceived as a prayer of the coal miners in Chile, who cried out for dignity and light amidst the darkness of the underground tunnels. This powerful musical piece, in its new symphonic choral version from 2023, is a plea for justice and humanity that remains alive in the world and on this tour across the UK.
In this second concert, Quimantu is collaborating with the singers of Dorchester's Cloud 9 Chorus to perform as the final event of the 2025 Cerne Giant Festival.
In Quimantu, the sounds of Chile and Latin America coexist with traditional and contemporary styles. Andean instruments including charangos, zampoñas, quenas, bombos, explosively unite with violins, violas, and cellos. Alongside a performance of Misa de los Mineros, specially programmed repertoire for the concert’s second half will reflect the Cerne Giant Festival’s celebration of ‘humanity in the landscape’, with music from Quimantu’s compelling repertoire of Latin American and world music alongside songs from Cloud 9 Chorus, led by Kathie Prince.
The finale of this special project takes place at The Exchange in Sturminster Newton on Sunday 15 June, and will feature over 80 singers from across Dorset performing alongside Quimantu. Find out more here