December 2011

La Estudiantina Municipal: A night at thepresidentialpalace

The Estudiantina Municipal de Cochabamba was founded in 1961 by senior members of the previous Estudiantina called 14 de Septiembre whose president was M. Monroy. During its 1st period the artistic directors were Jaime Ferrufino and Daniel Butrón T. Its formal foundation took place the 22nd July of 1962. They named the group Estudiantina Municipal because the majority of its members during that time worked at the municipality.

By: Walter Sánchez
Instituto Investigaciones Antropológicas
UMSS

On the 27th of August of 1964, as the group grew bigger it consolidated institutionally under the direction of Victor Jiménez G. who gave it a new impulse that helped the group to project its music at a national level.

Within this context of growth, from the 22nd to the 28th November of 1965, the director traveled to the city of La Paz to organize some group presentations. According to the group’s internal documentation this delegation is integrated by its, “23 elements that traveled with sponsorship from the Cochabamba municipality and the USA Embassy, which was represented by Mr. Douglas Henderson and his wife”. The USA embassy’s sponsorship was managed by the Centro Boliviano Americano (CBA) Director, Wallace Keiderin as he himself was a member of the Estudiantina. The money was used to pay for all of the members’ travel costs and also included “Ms. Martha Estívaris& Lola D’Avis so they could alternate the Estudiantina presentations with a very well executed dance piece”.

Their presentation in La Paz city coincided with the arrival of the Coro de los Niños Cantores del Valle delInstituto Laredo, a children’s chorus. As an insider says; “The Niños Cantores del Valle del Instituto Laredo and the Estudiantina Municipal de Cochabamba traveled together from this city after these performances, one after another”

The Estudiantina performances had a very hectic agenda during the whole week. They started at the Municipal Theatre in two sittings, “afternoon and night on Monday 23rd November… where a select audience witnessed the show. Among them were the authorities of the Honorable Community, Education Minister, Mr. Henderson and his wife and the entire American colony, the Music Band Director Mr. Antonio Montes Calderón”. The same day they performed at the Universidad Mayor de San Andrés, “before a large audience that applauded at every single musical piece they performed.” In the following days they visited various places such as the elderly home San Ramón, and Quevedo, the elderly nursing home for women. At Quevedo, the co-president, General Ovando’s wife arrived to enjoy the show. They also performed at The Hogar for Disabled Children and were watched by the USA Embassy Public Affairs representative, Mr. Edmundo Schechter and the United States ambassador Douglas Henderson and his wife. At the vision impaired girl’s orphanage Santa Cecilia, Mrs.ElsaOmiste de Ovando looked on from the audience, and finally the National Panoptic where they performed a great concert. In all their visits they played mainly Bolivian folkloric music.

Their performances were also broadcast on the radio. They played on Radio Méndez, Radio Illimani and Radio Universo, all of which, according to the press, “were full of people”. In their last radio performance they did a special act before a massive audience and they received a Silver Disc. This was awarded to director Victor Jiménez for his musical composition ‘Quejasdel Alma’ that occupies a first place amongst all national compositions. At the radio Cruz del Sur they left various recorded compositions on cassette to be played on purpose-made radio programs.

They also performed a presentation at the Teatro al AireLibre, at the request of the Honorable Comuna de La Paz staff. This event was on the 28th of that month. “On this opportunity the young ladies Martha Estívaris and Lola D’Avis perform Spanish and Bolivian folk dances … the municipal band Eduardo Caba was also present helping in our program” . In appreciation, they are smothered with attentions by the Honorable Alcaldía from La Paz City with ”a cocktail that offers …the Alcaldía in the Casa Argentina saloons where they played a varied repertory.”

The Estudiantina Municipal was then invited by The Honorable Military Board of Government generals René BarrientosOrtuño and Alfredo Ovando Candia to perform at the Government Palace. This performance was transmitted “live” by Radio Illimani, and takes place on Thursday 25th November at the Central Hall with the presence of the General René BarrientosOrtuño and his wife Rosmery Galindo and a select audience where diplomatic representatives and State Ministers were also present.

A small note published by the ÚltimaHora newspaper (26-XI-1965) headed: “There wasn’t any activity at the Palace”. President Barrientos and his wife, Mrs. Rosmery Galindo went to the Estudiantina Municipal de Cochabamba performance at the Palace hall in honor to the Honorable Military Board of Government. At the end of the program General Barrientos, as well as some ministers congratulated each member of the group. General Barrientos left the Palace of Government as soon as the program prepared by the Estudiantina Municipal de Cochabamba finished at 20:15hours.

MUSEO DE ARQUEOLOGIA

Investigaciones
Antropológicas

Artículo
traducido por: Carmen Herbas

> Ciclo de cine “Soñar, reír y amar”
Amélie (Director Jean- Pierre Jeunet)
5 de diciembre
¡Qué te calles! (Director Francis Veber)
6 de diciembre
Un engaño de lujo (Director Pierre Salvadori)
7 de diciembre
Monsieur Batignole (Director Gérard Jugnot)
8 de diciembre
¡Bienvenidos al norte! (Director Danny Boon)
Subtítulos en castellano

• December
• November
• October
• September
• August
• July
• June
• May
• April
• March