The Guárico Folk Orchestra, founded in 2009 with the idea of extolling and preserving the cultural values of Venezuela, stems from the Alma LLanera Folk Music Programme.

One of the purposes of both the orchestra and the programme is to keep a record of the Venezuelan folk works by writing them out in score, thus preventing them from falling into oblivion.

This orchestra, the only one of its kind in Venezuela, is made up of 39 cuatros, 14 Venezuelan harps, 13 mandolins, 15 guitars, 8 bandolas, 2 maracas and 3 double basses.

The Guárico Folk Orchestra, conducted by the renowned cuatro and harp player Luis Herrera, has a wide repertoire of traditional and contemporary folk works from Guárico. Many of the 90 young musicians who comprise the orchestra have received national and international awards.

Harp Ensemble

Drawn from the Guárico Folk Orchestra, the Harp Ensemble –made up of 14 Venezuelan harps– plays folk music from Los Llanos. Besides extolling the importance of harp as a traditional instrument, the ensemble shows the potential and versatility of this instrument.