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Chilean composer Javier Farías discusses the process of composing Where We Belong, a piece that reflects the journey of immigrant children. He shares how he drew inspiration from his rich cultural background, incorporating traditional Latin American rhythms and genres, such as the diablada—a religious dance popular in Bolivia, Peru, and Chile.Read about the influences behind Farías’ composition in his own words.

“Where We Belong is a musical composition about the immigrant experience, particularly the resilience of immigrant children. Knowing that young people would be involved, I wanted to create vibrant music. The piece is divided into three sections, or ‘movements’ in musical terms — all of them inspired by traditional rhythms from Latin America. The first movement is based on a rhythm called Diablada, a religious dance popular in Bolivia, Peru, and Chile. This dance represents the struggle between good and evil and is characterized by its colorful costumes and unique style of dancing. The movement begins with a strong, solid rhythm, aiming to capture not only the groove of Latin American music but also the feeling of embarking on a new journey and leaving everything behind. This movement is energized by this sense of urgency — the adrenaline that comes with leaving your past behind to start a new chapter in life, arriving in a new country with all the challenges it entails: learning a new language, making new friends, and leaving behind family and loved ones in your homeland. For the second movement, I wanted to set a reflective mood. This is the intimate moment of turning inward, listening to yourself, and realizing where you are. This movement is inspired by Huayno, a rhythm originating from the Andes. This genre has a melancholic character and is often associated with the vastness and solitude of the Andean region. For the third movement, I drew inspiration from the Cuban genre, Guajira, and more specifically from the song ‘We Don't Talk About Bruno’ from the movie Encanto, which was very popular when Where We Belong premiered at Carnegie Hall’s Weill Music Institute in 2022. This movement is all about joy — the kind of happiness that no one can take away from a child, even when they’ve faced difficult challenges to get to where they are.”

— Javier Farías, composer