Mauricio Velasierra

Mauricio Velasierra is a composer, performer and instrument maker who takes traditional Latin American instruments such as quenas, mohzeños and sikus pipes and hybridises them with electronic interfaces to create a new language. Born in Colombia, Velasierra has played Latin American wind instruments since the age of seven, continuously advancing and developing the sound possibilities of the quena and mohzeño flutes amongst other aerophones - the quena flute being a close relative of some of the oldest instruments found on earth, dating to 5000 years ago. In order to develop more versatile versions of these instruments Velasierra studied at The London Guildhall university, writing his graduate thesis on incorporating MIDI technology into an electro-acoustic set up for the quena. In his search for new sound possibilities he began to carry out research on piezo pickups for wind instruments, allowing him expand into the electronic realm by using note-to-midi devices. He has also developed a library of synthesised sounds designed especially for each instrument and for specific compositions. Alongside his electronic innovation, Velasierra has created his own universe of sounds by developing techniques for playing these keyless woodwind instruments chromatically, inventing microtonal scales inspired by Amazonian bird song.  scientific.