Cultures at Risk Presenter Biographies

Raul Conejo

Ecuadorian traditional music
Cesar Cotacachi   Luz Cotacachi   Raul Conejo

Hugo Raul Conejo Maldonado was born in Otavalo, Ecuador, in 1964. He has been playing traditional Andean music since the age of 15 and has participated in different groups in his own country. In the 1990s he began to visit the United States and countries in Europe at the time when Otavalo musicians started trips to many countries to share their traditional Andean music. In those years, he participated in different indigenous groups like Saywa (Holland, 1990–1991), Inca Marka (Swiss, 1991–1992), Llactay Manta (Germany, 1992–1994), Bolivia Marka (Italy, 1994–1995), Atahualpa (U.S., 1996–1998) and Kichwa Mashis (U.S., 1998–2000).

He is a virtuoso on instruments like guitar, bass, violin, mandolin, charango, zamponia, rondador, quenilla and others.

Today, Raul Conejo is managing a Christian band in Otavalo and he is a master weaver of Andean handicrafts and maker of traditional wind instruments.