Nicolas Castaneda

Only a few hundred feet away from the tourists and their selfie sticks in Copley Square, the Nicolàs Castañeda group played for a sizable crowd in the Boston Public Library’s courtyard and displayed a cultural practice that is actually meaningful.

The Nicolàs Castañeda Group, made up of three Colombian students, projected traditional Colombian music with their own modern take it as Castañeda pointed out during their set. The group also played original pieces about social problems in Colombia and experiences adjusting to American culture and learning English while studying at Berklee; in addition to traditional Colombian songs. During their performance I was engaged with the rhythms due to the percussionist’s efforts in leading transitions between faster and slower tempos, the use of hand percussion instruments and guiding the band from the back. Furthermore, I enjoyed the group’s performance because the harp’s shape allowed the acoustics to carry like a guitar and the violinist’s natural ability to take the melody and get the audience’s attention. Furthermore, I appreciated that they were sincere, humble musicians who cared about getting the crowd genuinely interested in their music.

Likewise, the crowd also enjoyed the performance and were engaged, especially when the group’s violinist had them participating in a Colombian “party song” chanting along on cue. On Wednesday evening, the Nicolàs Castañeda group brought their sound and culture to Copley while demonstrating their genuine personalities and love for music. - JD' Andrea