Monique is a charango teacher and ceremonial musician.

20+ years of exploring & studying the charango. 10+ years of teaching it.

I've been playing music my entire life, a beacon of light through all the ups, down and arounds. The charango came into my life in 2003 on a visit to the Andes, handed to me by Bolivian filmmaker Andrés Bartos, literally to see “what would happen if this Andean instrument was played by a non-Andean musician”.

The result : 15 years of songwriting and touring, charango in hand!

My teaching is based on personal experiences, songwriting, charango studies, a lifetime on guitar and bass, artivism, composition, and ceremonial playing.

Deep respect to the charango’s cultural context, the traditional music associated with the charango in the Andes. If you are seeking to learn specifically Andean music, email me and I’ll put you in contact with a teacher specialized in that!

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Regarding my TEACHING:

My style is with a soft touch, a lot of fingerpicking, flow, improvisation.

I work primarily with medicine songs and create arrangements and TABs for easy reading and playing.

I’ve created many exercises, effective for applying functional harmony to the instrument.

The style I teach is well adapted for sound healing, supporting meditative states, giving voice to prayers and offerings.

On my YouTube channel you can get a clear idea of this.

If this resonates with you, I invite you on board!

I play Aquila SUGAR charango strings.

Publications:

“Melo Zamba” in Rial Book del Charango, Chile

LATEST ALBUM : Charango Suite: Water Holds Memories

Alumni: Berklee College of Music | Idyllwild Arts | Interlochen Arts Academy