Macarena Rocha

Macarena Rocha is a Chilean–born singer (lightweight soprano of exotic long range), multi–instrumentalist musician, composer and educator with Russian roots, raised on the periphery at south of Santiago de Chile, based in Argentina.

She has made contributions especially in Worldmusic, Ethno Jazz and Folk Electronic music. From the melodic song to the instrumental elaboration going through improvisation, and with an extension many times in big band format on stage.

For a long time she led the Věra Maia collective (2010–2018). An ensemble that blended Indian tabla, trumpet, guitar and Spanish vocals. This innovative trio/orchestra merged jazz with traditional ethnic music from the East, the Latin American rhythms and healing-chants of Icarus, from the jungle. The collective's first lineup included notable musicians such as the Peruvian tabla player Dhanvantri Dub and the French trumpeter Adrian Sage, on Maianthemus (2015). By Juan Elgueda on tabla, Alejandro Pino on trumpet & flugelhorn, Cristian Gallardo on alto & tenor saxophone, Ignacio Hernández on electric guitar, Pia Zamorano on drums sometimes she was accompanied on stage in a special concert mode "Hip soul jazzy". Then by Benjamín Saiz on drums & percussion, Javier Aguilar on bansuri & ethnic flutes, Fabrizio Labrín on electric guitar, Matias Donoso on bass, Juan Pablo Salvo on trumpet and Miguel Ángel Cortés on bassoon at last in a new huge group, with new arrangements, more free improvisation and rotating cast of other exceptional artist; developing the hipfolk, rocksoul and ethnic-rap style in the Chilean scene for those years. Maianthemus was particularly acclaimed in Turkey and India so, the band received a lot of invitations to perform extensively in these regions.

In 2017, she inaugurated an experimental event combining meditation practices with improvised music. The project was called 'Sonido Inmersión Meditaciones', which featured collaborations of the New York–based producer Robert L. Smith, and musicians Tomás Gubbins and Alejandro Pino, explored the intersection of sound and mindfulness.

Macarena has also worked as a permanent chorister performing in Arabic, German and Russian language. Of those, she only speaks Russian. She has been a guest artist at the concerts of Deva Premal and Miten with Manose, as well as the Argentine band Sufi Mantras. Collaborator for electronic music producers as Derrok, Dhanvantri Dub and other downtempo artists.

Also she's vocal trainer specializing in Rabine's method, Somatic Voicework teacher, therapist and meditator, with studies of cinema and theater additionally. She also composes music for these media, integrating her diverse skills into a multifaceted creative career.

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