At Las Gaviotas, music has always played a central role in keeping spirits high and the community together. Many types of music have been performed and enjoyed at Las Gaviotas over the three decades of its existence. At the forefront, however, there has always been "Llanero" music, the cowboy music native to the savannas where Las Gaviotas is located.
The music of this geographically and culturally unique savanna area evolved from the contact between nomadic Indians and Jesuit settlers five hundred years ago. Authentic “Llanero” music is rarely performed outside these savannas because of its difficult harp, cuatro, and percussion techniques, and hence it remains one of Latin America's best kept secrets.
The music for ¡Entusiasmo! was composed and performed by U.S. composer Joan Szymko and Colombian ensemble Los Llaneros, whose musicians are from the Llanos or savannas where Las Gaviotas is located.
Joan Szymko
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Samples of compositions performed in ¡Entusiasmo!
 La Voz del Viento (Los Llaneros) Listen
Marcha Akuchimay* (Los Llaneros) Listen
El Gavilan (Los Llaneros) Listen
Razones (Los Llaneros) Listen
Camaraca (Los Llaneros) Listen
It is Happiness (Joan Szymko) Listen
*TEACHERS: teach your students how to play "Marcha Akuchimay" on South American panpipes! No exotic materials or previous experience necessary! Full instructions complete with video clips for this activity are found in the "Latin America Music And Culture Kit," a multi-media, multi-disciplinary resource for music, art, choir, band, social studies, Spanish, and drama teachers (K-12).
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Sampler of Latin American folk
instruments used in ¡Entusiasmo!
(Click on each instrument to hear its sound) 
Names of The Latin American Folk Instruments Pictured Above
1 - Arpa llanera (harp of the Llanos)
2 - Cuatro (four-stringed guitar from the Llanos)
3 - Capachos (maracas from the Llanos)
4 - Antaras (panpipes from the Peruvian Andes)
5 - Guitarra (acoustic guitar)
6 - Bombo (Indian drum from the Bolivian Andes)
7 - Congas (conga drums from the Caribbean)  Video showing Los Llaneros in concert
Los Llaneros |
