Reflexiones sonoras para quinteto de viento sobre motivos Yuco-Motilón (1977)
Quintet of the Americas (Quinteto de las Americas) met Raúl Mojíca Mesa in 1977 during the Quintet’s first year in Colombia. Hired to play weekly on the Nationl radio, and given the request to include Colombian music, the Quintet met a number of Colombian composers. This work was premiered in Colombia on July 4, 1977 in Colombia and later performed in a concert at the Americas Society attended by the Colombian Ambassador to the United States and the Colombian Consul.
Raúl Mojica Mesa (1928-1991) was born in the village of Lagunita near the San Francisco River. Always inspired by indigenous sounds of his country it may be said he was also inspired by the murmurs and sounds of the river and the calls of local birds. His father José de Jesús Mojica was an accordion player and his grandfather on his mother’s side played organ. Not only did Raúl hear the religious music of his relatives, he was also listening to a local band of indigenous people from Guajiro who became quite famous and presented concerts in Barranquilla., and also the music of guitars and accordions for festivals. His classical training included the study of study of piano and voice and in 1949 he entered the National Conservatory of Music in Bogotá. He received a scholarship to study in Germany and in 1969 he returned to become a professor at the National Conservatory of Music. he also studied and promoted the music of the Colombian Llanos and treated us to folk dance and music performances the same day we presented our concert there.