Rolando Alarcón
Rolando Alarcón Soto (August 5, 1929 – February 4, 1973), was a Chilean singer-songwriter and teacher, known for compositions like "Si somos americanos", "Mocito que vas Remando", "Doña Javiera Carrera" or "El hombre". Biography. Early life. Rolando Alarcón Soto born on August 5, 1929 son of a primary school teacher and a miner, he lived most of his childhood in Sewell and adolescence in Chillan, during his youth stay in Chillan, he studied guitar and piano. In the 1950s Alarcón moved to Santiago de Chile, where he trained as a teacher, teaching in Chilean schools. In 1955, as  a result of one of the summer Seasonal Schools taught by Margot Loyola at the University of Chile, formed the "Cuncumén" group, in which Alarcon took over as artistic director. The folk group toured Europe, recorded six long-lasting albums and was consolidated as one of the main folk conglomerates in Chile. Career. In 1960 when Alarcón was still part of group Cuncumén, his first album titled "Traditional Chilean Songs", was released in United States on the Folkways Records label. The album consists mainly of Rolando's interpretations of songs Chileans folkloric songs of the 19th century. In 1988 the  label "Alerce" reissued the album under the title "Canciones tradicionales", Silvia Urbina and Rolando Alarcón joined the "La imagen de Chile" tour, which toured Peru, Panama and United States. During 1963 composed some solo songs like: "¿A dónde vas, soldado?" (Where are you going, soldier?), that generated a lot of controversy for its antimilitarist content. In addition, he wrote songs of social commitment such as "Yo Defiendo a Mi Tierra" (I defend my land); and others more linked to the Chilean tradition, such as "Mocito que vas Remando" (Little boy you're going rowing). In 1964, after a tour to  the socialist countries, Silvia and Rolando left the Cuncumén group and started a duo that resulted in "Chile nuevo vol. 1". In which Rolando, Clemente Izurieta and Richard Rojas performed songs. "Doña Javiera Carrera" (one of the songs from the 1964 album), won an composition competition for schools. Upon his return, the professor joined the cast of "La pérgola de las flores" (The pergola of flowers), for a tour to Mexico, a trip in which he composed: "Si somos Americans" (If we are Americans), a song of clear continental feeling, that was included in 1965 on the album "Rolando Alarcón  y sus canciones". From 1965, he was one of the prominent artists of the Peña de los Parra and in 1967 he represented the Chilean singers in the First Protest Song Festival held in Cuba. In that same year he participated for the first time in the Festival of Viña, achieved third place with "Niña sube a la lancha", performed by Pedro Messone. In 2000 that same song was chosen among the ten best in the history of the festival, and in 1967 released "El nuevo Rolando Alarcón", where the composer's turn was towards social contingency and towards sounds  that moved away from folklore to adopt more modern styles of the time, In addition, rhythms performed by Los Tickets were included. In 1968 he recorded on his just created record label, "Tiempo", a album titled "Canciones de la Guerra Civil Española" (Songs of the Spanish Civil War), an album consisting of popular Spanish songs, the only piece composed by Alarcon is entitled "No pasaran" (No pass). Carlos Valladares and Enrique San Martín from Los Emigrantes participated in the musical accompaniment, In 1969 she got an honorable mention at the First Festival of the Nueva Canción Chilena with the song  Canción de Juan el pobre, in 1970, he won on the Viña del Mar International Song Festival, with the song "El hombre", performed by Los Emigrantes. In 1971, was released on the DICAP label, "Canta a los poetas soviéticos" (Sing to the Soviet Poets), where he performs the work of the poet Yevgeni Yevtushenko and the singer-songwriter Bulat Okudzhava. In 1972 released his last studio album titled "El alma de mi pueblo" that featured the participation of the duo Los Emigrantes, a group adherent to the Popular Unity. By that date Alarcón was a determined activist in the campaign  that would lead Salvador Allende and the Popular Unity to the command of political power in Chile. As an enthusiast for the cause, he participated intensely, until in 1973, in the middle of a "Chile Ríe y Canta" tour, his heart broke when he tried to push a bus on the Matadero-Palma route, in which the cast of the rock was traveling. An old ulcer caused internal bleeding and he died on February 4 in Santiago. Posthumous recognitions. After his death, the Lonqui Trio composed "Canción para Rolando" in homage to Alarcón. In 2009, the teacher Carlos Valladares and  the journalist Manuel Vilches published the book "Rolando Alarcón: La canción en la noche" (Rolando Alarcón, the song in the night), through Editora Nacional Quimantú, which talks about the life and work of the troubadour. In this book it is revealed how difficult it was for Rolando to be homosexual, the Communist Party of Chile came to punish him for these reasons. In 2010 Rolando was one of the "eight Bicentennial authors" of the Olmué Festival being represented by Las Cuatro Brujas. On February 4, 2013, in commemoration of the 40th anniversary of the departure of the folklorist, a concert  was held at the Mesón Nerudiano restaurant, where musicians Eduardo Peralta, Rafael Manríquez, , Marcos Acevedo, and Max Berrú, participated. In 2013 it was also announced that the book written by Vilches y Valladares would be relaunched and, in turn, a tribute album would be released with the participation of artists from Nueva Canción Chilena and Neofolklore. In 2015 was finally re-released the book. In July 2019 it was announced that a marathon recital would be held on August 5 of that year where 25 artists would perform the same number of compositions and interpretations by Alarcón at Casa Arrau