The hills are alive with the sound of traditional music

MIDDLETOWN-Andes Manta will present the traditional music of the Andes Mountains of South America as a Lyceum Event at Orange County Community College at 115 South St. in Middletown. The concert will begin at 9 p.m. on Friday, Oct. 7. Originally from Quito, Ecuador, but now residing in Bangall, N.Y., brothers Wilson Fernando, Luis, Bolivar, and Jorge make up Andes Manta. They are players of the charango and quena, Andean string and wind instruments, as well as the rondador, an Ecuadorian pan-pipe, plus an array of other Andean instruments. The group interweaves music with dance and folklore rooted in the cultural heritage of the Incas. From the melodies of the high Andes, to the rhythms of Indian village festivals, and on to the nature sounds of frogs and birds of the Amazon rainforest, the foursome invites its audiences to experience the ancient traditions and sounds of their heritage. Past performance sites have included Carnegie Hall, Lincoln Center, the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the Smithsonian Institution, and the Discovery Channel. Tickets are $10 for adults, $7 for senior citizens, and $3 for non-SUNY Orange students. Group rates available. For more information, call 341-4891, write to cultural@sunyorange.edu or visit www.sunyorange.edu/lyceum.