Traditional Music of Peru Series
One of the objectives of Smithsonian Folkways is to bring to the U.S. and international public the recordings and research of scholars in other countries. In addition to working closely with musicians and scholars in many places ourselves, we have established institutional collaborations with the Indonesian Society for the performing Arts (Music of Indonesia Series), the Aga Khan Music Initiative (Music of Central Asia series), and The Institute of Ethnomusicology of the Pontifical Catholic University of Peru, (formerly the Archivo de Musica Tradicional Andina). Although this series was previously published in Peru, international distribution was virtually non-existent.
The Institute of Ethnomusicology is a marvelous repository of field recordings from many parts of the country, carefully catalogued and preserved. Smithsonian Folkways, like many other cultural institutions around the world, has benefitted from the support of the Ford Foundation. We are grateful to that foundation, also, for helping to underwrite the presentation of this series outside of Peru.
It is in the interest of international cooperation and understanding that we bring to you this series, recorded and annotated by outstanding Peruvian ethnomusicologists and anthropologists. We hope you enjoy the music, learn from the bilingual liner notes, and explore the other series mentioned above.
Anthony Seeger, Ph. D.
Curator and Director, Emeritus – Smithsonian Folkways
Traditional Music of Peru, Vol. 1: Festivals of Cusco
Various Artists SFW40466 1995 Music of religious festivals is one of the richest and most important types of musical expression in the Andes...
Traditional Music of Peru, Vol. 2: The Mantaro Valley
Various Artists SFW40467 1995 Previously released in Peru by the Pontificia Universidad Católica del Perú in 1985. 
Traditional Music of Peru, Vol. 3: Cajamarca and the Colca Valley
Various Artists SFW40468 1997 Forty-seven tracks from two distinct regions of the Peruvian Andes reveal the impressive diversity and beauty of local and...
Traditional Music of Peru, Vol. 4: Lambayeque
Various Artists SFW40469 1996 These 22 tracks, recorded in 1990-1991 in the three cultural regions (Creole, Afro-Cuban, and Andean) of the Department of Lambayeque...
Traditional Music of Peru, Vol. 5: Celebrating Divinity in the High Andes
Various Artists SFW40448 1999 On the shoulders of the high Andes sacred moments are celebrated with a creative mix of pre-Columbian and more recent sounds...
Traditional Music of Peru, Vol. 6: The Ayacucho Region
Various Artists SFW40449 2001 The 27 recordings in this collection are the first from the Andean department of Ayacucho to be made available since...
Traditional Music of Peru, Vol. 7: The Lima Highlands
Various Artists SFW40450 2001 The communities of the Lima Highlands narrate history, protect social and cultural stability...
Traditional Music of Peru, Vol. 8: Piura
Various Artists SFW40451 2002 This 8th and final volume of the acclaimed series Traditional Music of Peru features the musical and cultural diversity of Piura...
