Caliche

Caliche has been one of the leading groups promoting the music and culture of South America in Britain for the last 18 years. Caliche play instruments such as panpipes, flutes, charangos and mandolins which evoke the magic of the Altiplano scenery, cradle to the Inca civilisation. Caliche do more than perform their vibrant music. Audiences are invited to familiarise themselves with an impressive collection of Andean instruments, the origins of which are explained during performances. Caliche started working in the field of education in 1989 and over the years the group have established a reputation as the main ensemble bringing the music of South America to primary and secondary schools through workshops and performing projects based around stories and legends of the Andes and the Amazon rainforest. Caliche have been involved in successful music in education projects with the Birmingham Royal Ballet and the Ikon Gallery. The latter merited a prominent review in The Times, as the project involved music-making and painting for children aged between five and thirteen at the Children's Hospital in Birmingham. As the group is based in Birmingham most of the educational work takes place in the Midlands but during the last 3 years Caliche have also worked in a large number of schools in Cheshire, in partnership with Cheshire Music Service through their 'Primary Live' music project. In the same period the group have been regularly collaborating with the leading early music choir 'Ex-Cathedra' and with Birmingham Music Service in world music projects and folk festivals in both primary and secondary schools. Caliche are also regular visitors to schools in the Lake District and schools involved in the Creative Partnerships project. Caliche are named after a mineral found in the hard soil of the north of Chile. The 'caliche' is a symbol of the desert, of its magic and of its sheer immensity.