Congreso

Congreso was founded in 1969-70, in Quilpué, Chile. The band developed its style through its search for a new language that could express Latin American popular music. Congreso's work blends traditional native rhythms with contemporary styles and jazz harmonies so as to have a distinctive style. This musical group, composed of seven members, has recorded twenty albums, cassettes and CDs during its prolific career; many have attained Gold Album status. The group has also received national and international critical acclaim for its subtle, yet powerful, arrangements and lyrics.
Congreso has toured not only in Chile but also throughout Latin America, Canada; USA and Europe, and has participated in prestigious festivals and events, such as the Amnesty International Concert, Expo Seville '92 in Spain, the Viña del Mar Song Festival (Chile), and the Montreal Festival in Canada.
In 2000, Congreso performed at the Opera House in Cologne, Germany; in 2001, at the annual Via Magia/La Red de Promotores Culturales of Latin América and the Caribe arts market in Bahia, Brazil; and in 2003 a tour throughout differents states of USA. Through its music, Congreso encourages audiences to discover Chile’s diversity: like the multi-tonal altiplano of the North the large cities of Santiago and Valparaíso, the forests and lakes of the South to the vast, rugged Patagonia region. Congreso’s music breathes life from each of these diverse landscapes, transforming them into voices, rhythms, and sounds.
This year Congreso is celebratiing its 40 years old with a new album and symphonic concerts in the main Chilean scenarios.

RESIDENCY ACTIVITIES
“Los fuegos de hielo/Iceberg Fires”

This 80-minute bilingual educational program in which all of Congreso´s members participate, explores the extermination of native communities which lived south of the continent.

Directed by Francisco Sazo, this program incorporates musical and visual elements to narrate the lives of the indian communities at Tierra del Fuego, Patagonia. The program is a product of anthropological research based on documents, books and on the experience of visiting the places and territories where each ethnic group lived.

Iceberg Fires is divided into three sections:
1. The geographical, anthropological, musical and cultural influences that contributed to the development of this program. A discussion of the ethnic groups that populated this region, their traditions, cosmology and the history of their extermination.
2. A deep look at the following indigenous cultures to this remote South American region: Yámanas, Selknam, Aonikenk, Kaweshkar.
3. Musical interpretation of fragments from the ballet score, Los fuegos de hielo (Iceberg Fires).

This program is specialy adapted for high school and university students. Anthropologic and ethno musicians, aimed for Latin American students.

Awards
1971 Interpretation Award at the Festival of the New Chilean Song, Teatro Municipal de Santiago

1982 Group of the Year. Estreno Magazine, La Tercera newspaper

1985 Prize in the International Youth Year. Quilpué

1987 Group of the Year. Radio Umbral

1988 Gold Albúm by "Los Arquéologos del Futuro"

1989 Best Musical Group. APES.

1990 Best Musical Group nomination and Gold Albúm

1990 "Laurel de Oro" Best Musical Group

1991 Best National Group at Festival Internacional de Viña del Mar. Gaviota de Plata

1991 Best Video Clip. APES

1992 "Aire Puro" appears in the first and fifth place in September and October, in the top 30 of the Paris Latin Radio

1994 Best Rock Band. Chilean Ministry of Education

2001 Gold Medal for lifetime achievement. Chamber of Deputies of Chile. National Congress

2002 Unicef Award. Music National Council. Government of Chile

2006 President of Chilean Republic Award

2007 Altazor Award by "Congreso de Exportación"

2008 Famous Sons of the Municipality of Quilpué.Chile