Urubicha is a town situated in the Bolivian Amazon that is, inhabited by around 3000 Guarayo Indians. The town is also home to an acclaimed choir and orchestra composed of more than 200 children, who practice everyday and have performances across Latin America. Nearly 30 years ago, Father Walter Neuwirth, a missionary posted in Urubicha by his Franciscan order, and Ruben Dario, a Guarayo trained in the conservatory of Cordoba in Argentina, formed a music school to promote the natural talent of the people. “Since then, it's almost become a villageof music students,” says Father Neuwirth. Using European instruments, they are known as virtuosos, equally capable of playing traditional mass music and Guarayo songs about the dance of the fish. The reason why so many people play the violin in such a small town is summarized by the current lead violinist Juan Uramonguira, 18 years old: “Okay, so we are maybe a long way from the city, very isolated, but that doesn't mean we're beyond hope. We have our music, our land and crops - what else do we need?”
