A concert with Grupo Condor is like going on a timeless musical journey through the Americas. The chilling Andean flutes combined with the festive Spanish strings and exotic African percussions, evoke an evening full of colorful emotion and excitement!

Grupo Condor is a touring folk music ensemble that performs traditional music from all the Latin American countires.

Their music is popular at festivals, and private and corporate events. Their concerts, school programs and workshops are presented around the Northwest, and focus on the blend of Spanish, African, and Native American influences that have created this multi-cultural art form. Traditional Andean favorites as well as their own arrangements and compositions are always enthusiastically received!

Currently residents of Oregon, Grupo Condor members are natives of Mexico and Chile. The band is dedicated to the preservation of their musical heritage.

The instruments played by Grupo Condor are comprised of three groups - the string family of Spanish influence, the flute family of American influence, and the percussions of both African and American influence. Group members discuss the instruments names and origins in-between songs and stress the importance of this enchanting music.

GERARDO CALDERÓN of Mexico studied classical guitar at the Escuela Superior de Musica in Mexico City and went on to pursue his interest in South American folk music by performing with folk ensembles in Mexico, Canada, New England, and the Pacific Northwest. He plays Latin stringed instruments such as the charango, waylacho, ronroco, tiple colombiano, tres cubano, and cuatro venezolano.

SAMUEL BECERRA came to Oregon from Mexico City with 12 years of experience in the musical field. His ability to play a wide variety of instruments enables him to play with Salsa, Latin jazz, and folk groups. Samuel specializes in wind instruments such as the quena, and zampoñas (panpipes). He also plays percussion instruments including congas, bongos, bombo, timbales, and hand percussions. Samuel has been part of Grupo Condor since 1994.

LUIS OPAZO is a native of Punta Arenas, Chile, and has been playing and teaching percussion professionally for 35 years. His formal training includes two years of Classical music at the University of Massachusetts, three years at the Berklee College of Music in Boston, and one year of Pan African Studies at California State University at Northridge. Luis is one of the founding members of Condor for whom he plays bombo leguero, Peruvian box, cacharaina (jaw bone), congas, bongos, and Latin percussion