Piano in the Andes

Last May, Peruvian Pianist Juan José Chukisengo, came to Quispicanchi to do lend his services to the service of the Jesuit projects. Among everything else that happened last week, Chukisengo's visit didn't take the spotlight, but it was still a big part of the week.

Once again he gave a benefit concert at the Compañía in Cusco and then a series of free concerts at towns and communities up and down the province of Quispicanchi. I got to listen to him three different times: at his concert in the church in Andahuaylillas, and performances for the high school and elementary school students of FyA 44.

The three concerts were very different. The concert for the people of Andahuaylillas was a fairly straightforward concert. He introduced each piece and then played it. The concerts at school were different. Mr. Chukisengo approached it as a sort of musical lecture. He highlighted music as order from chaos; from so many keys comes the sounds of a symphony. He made much of the comparisons between the visual art of the church (the locale for the high school concert) and the auditory art of music.

The elementary school students were probably the best audience. They were delighted with a change in the routine, and Chukisengo's manner of presenting to children is great for that age group. The concert for Primaria was very similar to last year's – including many of the same numbers and the same participatory bit with 6 students playing on his piano with him.

I've been here for 20 months, and Chukisengo is the only artist I've seen come through and give concerts like this. Far too often, the “fine”* arts are reserved for the rich. It seems to me that Chukisengo doesn't see it that way. In all his concerts he presents music as something accessible to all, giving students the chance to play on his piano, speaking to the transcendence of music, of it's ability to reach people of all cultures. I don't know how Mr. Chukisengo got connected to the Cusco area Jesuits, but I'm glad he did. Once a year, he leaves the concert halls of Europe (he lives in Germany) and lends his services to the Andean people. The work Chukisengo does includes two aspects of service that rarely interact. His benefit concert raises money, and his community concerts serve the community directly. Anyone interested in serving the poor could do worse than following this pianist's example.

*The word “fine” in fine arts itself carries a tone of superiority that's never sat well with me. What makes Beethoven better and Tupac?