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The Old Church Concert Hall and Venezuela’s Voice in Oregon present an evening of South American music benefiting humanitarian relief efforts in Venezuela.
PORTLAND, Ore. The Old Church Concert Hall (TOC) and Venezuela’s Voice in Oregon (VVO) present Across the Andes: A Benefit Concert for Venezuela Earthquake Relief on Sunday, October 4, 2026, celebrating the musical traditions of South America while supporting families affected by the recent earthquakes in Venezuela.
One dollar from every ticket sold and the concert’s net ticket proceeds will be donated to VVO’s Venezuela Earthquake Relief Fund, supporting humanitarian relief for families affected by the earthquakes.
Venezuela Earthquake Relief Fund
VVO's Venezuela Earthquake Relief Fund directly supports humanitarian response efforts in affected communities in Venezuela. Through trusted local nonprofit partners, funds help provide essential assistance such as food, hygiene supplies, emergency support, and other immediate community needs. VVO works directly with these partners to help ensure that resources reach communities where assistance is most needed.
"This concert is about much more than raising funds. It is an opportunity to use music to connect our communities, celebrate the cultural ties that unite South America, and transform that connection into meaningful support for families in Venezuela who are facing an incredibly difficult time."
- Dr. Giselle Rincon, President & Co-Founder of Venezuela's Voice In Oregon
About the Artists
FREDDY VILCHES ENSEMBLE
The Freddy Vilches Latin Ensemble brings to life an eclectic mix of traditional and contemporary Latin American music. Led by Chilean composer and vocalist Freddy Vilches, the group weaves together South American traditions, Cuban son, bossa nova, and Latin jazz—moving effortlessly between vibrant, danceable rhythms and intimate, evocative melodies.
For this special performance, the ensemble spotlights a South American-centered repertoire, featuring the distinctive voices of quenas, zampoñas, charango, and cuatro. Airy Andean panpipes, elegant string arrangements, and deeply rooted rhythms create an immersive musical journey through the rich landscapes and cultures of South America.
ANTONIO CENTURIÓN
Antonio Centurión is a Paraguayan harpist based in Portland, Oregon, whose music reflects the rich traditions of Paraguay and the cultural heritage of South America. Raised in Ita Vera, a small Guaraní-speaking community along the Paraná River in Paraguay, he began studying the Paraguayan harp at age eleven under harpist Dionisio Godoy. Since moving to the United States in 1991, Centurión has performed throughout Oregon, Washington, and British Columbia, sharing the distinctive sound and rhythmic energy of the Paraguayan harp with diverse audiences. His artistic work has been recognized through Oregon’s Traditional Arts Apprenticeship Program. As a soloist, Centurión combines traditional Paraguayan and Latin American repertoire with personal interpretations that highlight the harp’s remarkable rhythmic, melodic, and expressive possibilities.
MARIAN GUTIERREZ-CURIEL
Marian brings more than 25 years of artistry and leadership to the classical music world, shaped by her early training in Venezuela’s renowned El Sistema program. A former member of the Simón Bolívar Orchestra, she performed internationally at Carnegie Hall, the Berlin Philharmonie, Royal Albert Hall, the Lucerne Festival, BBC Proms, and Salzburg Festival, collaborating with distinguished conductors and soloists including Sir Simon Rattle, Claudio Abbado, Lorin Maazel, John Williams, Gustavo Dudamel, and Martha Argerich.
Her career expanded in the United States as a violinist and production team member with the Miami Symphony Orchestra before settling in Portland, Oregon, where she has become a vital contributor to the region’s musical landscape. Marian currently serves as orchestra conductor for the Metropolitan Youth Symphony, Orchestra Manager, and Community Engagement Manager at BRAVO Youth Orchestras.
Marian remains dedicated to Maestro José Antonio Abreu’s vision of social transformation through music, fostering inclusive learning environments where young musicians thrive both artistically and personally.
More About the Concert
This program grew from a collaboration that began months before the earthquakes, when TOC and VVO began planning a series of events introducing audiences to artists and traditions from across Latin America, with a particular focus on the Andean region of South America.
Following the earthquakes in Venezuela this summer, the organizations chose to preserve the cultural celebration they had envisioned while turning this concert into an opportunity to support humanitarian relief.
Why the Andes?
We envisioned this concert as a musical journey through South America, traveling along the Andes from Argentina northward and ultimately arriving in Venezuela. Through the music and brief narratives accompanying the performances, we hope audiences will experience not only the cultural richness of each country, but also the history of migration, solidarity, and human connection that has linked Venezuela with its Latin American neighbors over generations.
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