Sounds of Latin America
Araya
Araya is a contemporary Latin American folkloric ensemble featuring classical voice, Venezuelan cuatro, cello, and clarinet. Their repertoire spans the early 1800s—late 1950s, from Brazilian Bossas to Mexican Sons, transporting audiences to the music’s beautiful and tragically depicted scenes. Formed in the San Francisco Bay Area, they have performed throughout the United States and Europe, including at the International Clarinet Association’s 2024 ClarinetFest® in Dublin, Ireland. Their new arrangements for the debut EP, SOUNDS OF LATIN AMERICA, were created by composer and conductor Manuel Hurtado Dueñez and directed by Keric Alvarez Zapata.
The EP features Bianca Catalán (voice), Sarah Jaegers (clarinet), and special guest musicians Casey Quon (cello) and Keric Alvarez Zapata (Venezuelan cuatro), with musical arrangements by Manuel Hurtado Dueñez. It was recorded at 25th Street Recording in Oakland, CA, with mixing and mastering by Danilo Álvarez and Karishma Kumar.
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Music Arrangements by Manuel Hurtado Dueñez (all tracks)
Recorded at 25th Street Recording, Oakland CA, November 2022 & August 2025
Recording Engineer: Karishma Kumar
Mixed and Mastered by Danilo Álvarez (tracks 1, 2, 3, 4), Karishma Kumar (track 5)
Music Director: Keric Alvarez Zapata
Produced by Bianca Catalán
Artwork Cover: Bianca Catalán
Photographer: Alexandra Urbina
Track List
1. La Bikina (Mexican Waltz Ranchero)
Ruben Fuentes
2. Tonada de Luna Llena
(Venezuelan Tonada)
Simón Díaz
3. Barcelonesa (Venezuelan Waltz)
Enrique Hidalgo
4. Manhã de Carnaval (Brazilian Bossa)
Luiz Bonfá
5. Alfonsina y el Mar (Argentinian Zamba)
A. Ramírez & F. Luna
Artist Bios
Bianca Catalán, Araya's vocalist and artistic director, draws on her classical vocal training with the Ina Chalis Ensemble. Her work centers on bridging heritage, storytelling, and regional musical traditions through modern arrangements shaped by her distinctive vocal approach. She has performed throughout the Bay Area and Europe and currently resides in Cork, Ireland, where she is completing an M
Dr. Sarah Jaegers is an Albuquerque-based clarinetist praised for her “rich and warm interpretations” and regularly performs with local symphonies. She is an interim instructor of applied clarinet at the University of New Mexico and has commissioned several works, presented at major festivals such as ClarinetFest®, and toured throughout Europe. She holds a DMA from The Ohio State University, an MM
