Who will argue that love is not the greatest and most noble of sentiments? Who will argue that love is not the greatest gift bestowed upon humankind? Our ability to love expresses itself in many forms, all of which amount to our ability to give of ourselves unconditionally for a worthwhile purpose with the only expectation of reward resting in the pleasure of giving.

Chuck and Jackie Elston have a beautiful story to tell us.

Dear José,

As manager of a group of very special musicians, we ask you to share our story with them if you see fit.

This past summer, my wife traveled to San Antonio with a group of youth musicians. Every year, this youth group chooses a destination with the purpose of singing at area United Methodist Churches. Jackie, my wife, is their piano accompanist. As luck would have it, they chose the hottest summer on record to go to San Antonio.

The air conditioning on their bus went out en route, leaving Jackie and a chorus of teenagers to travel the next 2,000 miles in sweltering, unrelenting heat. In fact, so many things went wrong on the trip that reaching San Antonio became a quest rivaling Chevy Chase's trip to Wally World. However, ask anybody on that tour, they would tell you that it was all worthwhile. It was in San Antonio that my wife first encountered the music of WAYANAY INKA.

The youth group stopped at Market Square to have lunch and "be tourists." WAYANAY INKA was performing in the square, and in my wife's words, "It was the most beautiful music I'd ever heard." You see, we are both music teachers and listen to a lot of music. This is quite a compliment, and well deserved. She purchased the cassette, "...de los Andes," and listened to it throughout the 1,000-mile journey home. The music kept her company in the absence of air conditioning and in the presence of misery. For this, I am grateful.

Here's one other thing we want to share with the band. During this time, I had not yet proposed to Jackie, the woman who would become my wife. While she was away in San Antonio, I was busy at home planning how I would "pop the question." When she returned and shared with me the music of WAYANAY INKA, I immediately felt as she did toward this music. Not long after that, we sat listening to WAYANAY. And as Green Sleeves played, I knelt on one knee, and proposed. We were married in October.

When we stumbled across your Web site (to our delight), we thought to share this with you and the band. Thank you for keeping Jackie company through a difficult journey, and for being part of one of the most important moments of our lives.

Kindest regards,
Chuck and Jackie Elston

Why is it essentially impossible just to walk by when WAYANAY INKA gives an open performance outdoors? Why are so many drawn by this music? Where is the magic? Perhaps, one should seek one's own personal answer within oneself. Perhaps, one should ignore these questions better to hear, listen, enjoy, and, most importantly, to lift one's spirit to another, higher and better, plane. The experience related below is not at all unusual.

I was teaching an introduction to ethnomusicology to graduate music majors at the University of Houston in the Fall of 1995. An industrious student decided that for his project he wanted to bring a South American group of musicians he had heard in San Antonio to our campus for a concert. I was thrilled about his idea and supported his actions in whatever way I could. When the arrangements were finally made between the group, WAYANAY INKA, and our administration, we anticipated their concert excitedly.

When I first arrived at the University Center, I was pretty concerned because WAYANAY INKA was all set up to play and there was no audience in sight. I began to worry that we had chosen the wrong spot altogether, as there was no place to sit even if there had been an audience. It became clear, however, once they began to play, that all my concerns were unfounded. People began appearing, as if out of thin air, forming a most appreciative audience, quite substantial in size.

For the hour and a half that they performed, they entertained, educated, and mesmerized their audience with their music on at least a dozen different instruments animated by the powerful energy of the dancers. The brilliance of the day was complemented with the colorful customs and vibrancy of the performance. Most of the audience stood and listened. Several people were rocking and moving with the contagious rhythms of the music. There was a woman, obviously very familiar with the music, who began to dance in what appeared to be steps similar to those of the dancers with the group. She twirled and danced, wearing a beatific, serene smile. She was transformed by this music, and through this joy it seemed as if she were transported "home."

The spiritual power of music, the music of WAYANAY INKA in particular, was in evidence here at the University of Houston. Their closely knit community and their common goals to a philosophy of music-making combine to produce a cohesive and powerful experience for the listener. Because they live the music spiritually and physically, they are able to convey it in a very meaningful way to the audience.

Any university or community really interested in addressing multiculturalism from an experiential perspective should definitely consider bringing this very talented group to share their talents with them.

Lisa Carol Hardaway
Ethnomusicologist