THE BAROQUE MUSIC FESTIVALTourism Travel Hotels Airlines Restaurants Agents Forums Things to Do   The Baroque Music Festival, which takes place every 2 years of even-numbered years, is one of the most sought-after tours in Bolivia. The Jesuit Missions of Chiquitos (established between 1691 and 1767) and of Moxos (1681 – 1767) were established by Jesuit missionaries from Spain and Italy. In 1991 UNESCO declared six of the missions Cultural Heritage of Humankind sites. During the restoration of the temples of several of these towns in the 1970’s, nearly 10,000 sheets of baroque music scores from the 17th and 18th centuries were discovered in the temples. APAC (Asociación Pro Arte y Cultura, or the Association for Arts and Culture) was established in Santa Cruz de la Sierra to promote the culture and traditions of this region. APAC organizes the “Misiones de Chiquitos International American Renaissance and Baroque Music Festival” each even-numbered year and the “Santa Cruz de la Sierra International Theater Festival” each odd-numbered year, to promote the cultural and artistic heritage of the Bolivian lowlands. “APAC considers culture to be an invaluable investment to make it possible to reshape a community’s destiny”. To preserve this heritage, and share the Chiquitos and Moxos musical archives with the world, since 1996 APAC has organized this festival every two years. Musicians and orchestras from around the world participate. Considered one of Bolivia’s most important cultural events, the concerts take place in several places along the Jesuit Mission circuit deep in Bolivia’s dense tropical forest. In accompaniment to festival, APAC organizes a scientific encounter called the “International Musicology Symposium” where historians, researchers and musicologists can participate in discussions on ancient music. APAC published and distributes the presentations made at these encounters. Today, orchestras exist in fifteen mission towns and there is one youth orchestra in the city of Santa Cruz. Many of the young people who play in these orchestras have traveled extensively to foreign countries to perform. The last of these festivals took place between 24 April and 4 May 2008 (the promotional video above, released by APAC, states festival dates were 21-27 April 2008 but that was changed). The International Musicology Symposium that accompanies it took place on 22-23 April, 2008. Concerts were given in the city of Santa Cruz de la Sierra, the Jesuit Missions of Chiquitos, the Jesuit Missions of Moxos, and the Franciscan Missions of Guarayos. For more information see the APAC website. You can also contact them by phone/mail:
APAC – Asociacion Pro Arte y Cultura
APAC also organizes national Baroque Music and Theater festivals in the Jesuit Missions, usually in August. These are called Festivales de Temporada (Seasonal Festivals). Visit APAC's website to find out more: www.festivalesdetemporada.com and
watch this video documentary on the baroque music of the Jesuit Missions.
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