Intertwined
A Journey Through Tradition and the Unexpected — Llanera Harp & Violin
Through an unconventional pairing of Llanera harp and violin, Pilar & Nicolás come together to
reveal new sounds within the rich heritage of Colombian and Latin American music. The concert
program spans a rich variety of rhythms and styles, blending traditional musical elements with
contemporary performance and composition techniques.
The performance unfolds in two acts. The first act is a solo Llanera harp set, featuring Nicolás
Castañeda's original compositions and arrangements, presenting the harp beyond its tradition.
The second act presents the duo, where Pilar & Nicolás explore the possibilities on this non-
traditional instrumentation, intertwining the contrasting background of each instrument with their
cultural musical frame.
Don't miss this rare encounter between tradition and the unexpected. Whether you're a longtime
lover of Latin American traditions or simply curious to hear something you've never heard
before, Intertwined promises a night of discovery.
Pilar Zorro
Violinist Pilar Zorro has built a career that moves fluidly between continents, genres, and
traditions, carrying the sound of the violin into unexpected territory. Born in Bogotá, Colombia,
she began performing at a young age and, as a member of the Unimúsica Quartet, earned
multiple awards at festivals and competitions across Colombia and the United States — early
recognition of a musical voice already reaching beyond convention. That restless curiosity led
her to Boston, where she earned a Master's degree in Contemporary Improvisation from the New
England Conservatory, and since then she has devoted herself to expanding the language of the
violin within traditional Latin American folk music, drawing on the sounds, rhythms, and idioms
of the region's native instruments and genres to create a style entirely her own.
Her music has traveled with her, with performances in Finland, Spain, Brazil, Armenia, and
Georgia, among other countries.
Today, Pilar Zorro stands as a distinctive voice in contemporary folk and improvised music —
an artist whose international career reflects not just where she has played, but how deeply her
music travels.
Nicolás Castañeda Lozano
Award-winning Colombian harpist and composer Nicolás Castañeda Lozano represents a new
wave of Latin American musicians who have masterfully balanced and blended innovation and
tradition, exploring a wide range of possibilities for the Llanera harp to develop a contemporary
identity through genre-crossing composition and improvisation. His recent engagements include
the Banff Centre for the Arts and Creativity, the Somerset Folk Harp Festival, the Nomads
Festival in Helsinki, "Sonamos Latinoamerica" in Copenhagen, Globalfest Uniarts, and the
Maestros del Arpa Music Festival in Bogotá, alongside a European tour with jazz cuatro player
Carlos Capacho. A multiple prize-winner at the Torneo Internacional del Joropo, he performs as
both soloist and ensemble leader, drawing on his versatility as a multi-instrumentalist and free
jazz performer.
Following a successful performing career in Latin America, Castañeda became the first
Colombian harpist to attend Berklee College of Music, where he began shaping a unique
compositional approach to the Llanera harp — one showcased on his debut EP Renacer and now
continuing into a second album for solo harp and small ensembles. He has since pursued research
at the Sibelius Academy Uniarts Helsinki, developing an intercultural music notation proposal
aimed at expanding possibilities for cross-cultural collaboration, and was invited as a House
Wright Scholar guest artist at Florida State University, where he combined performance with
academic research in musicology and ethnomusicology.
Born in Bogotá, Colombia, Castañeda is now based in the United States, where he continues to
contribute to the living tradition of Llanera harp playing through performance, scholarship, and
innovative musical projects.