Hernan Rivera Unzueta

(b. 1930 - d. 2010) Born in the beautiful region of Totora in 1930, eminent thinkers have emerged from this beautiful region. Totora is a city and municipality of Bolivia, capital of the José Carrasco province in the department of Cochabamba, is located 142 km east of the city of Cochabamba, at an altitude of 2,300 meters above sea level. It is characterized by its buildings with a colonial and republican architecture, with its undulating roofs, where the movie "The Day the Silence Died" was filmed in 1998, when entering it is the first thing that impacts the visitor, from there important ones have also emerged intellectuals such as the writer Dr. Augusto Guzmán Martínez, Armando Soriano Badani and so many illustrious Toreños. There, precisely, the figure of Don Hernán Rivera Unzueta arises, who from a very young age had to work helping his mother for daily bread, without a formal education took advantage of his ability first, playing the harmonium, then with the piano and finally the accordion, was a music teacher since 1947, at the La Paz and Martin Mostajo school for girls in the city of Totora, after several years of experience as a teacher he decided to travel to the city of La Paz in search of of better opportunities. The 60s' opened the "Hernán Rivera Unzueta Accordion Academy", which operated on Ingavi street between Yana-cocha and Junín in the city of La Paz, half a block from Plaza Murillo, recorded 8 discs among small and LPs of unmistakable style, he had the only accordion that had come to Bolivia, with 185 blue bass Hohner brand, dedicating his successes to his beloved Totora whom he always carried in his heart, recording songs like: “Friend”, “Red Carnations” , "Curahuara de Carangas", "Decepción", "El minero", "Los pajarillos", "Noches de Sucre", "Tus miradas" and other songs, which are classic in the accordion performance of Don Hernán Rivera. Accordion teacher, composer and pedagogue, he founded the American School which to this day is still active, with primary and secondary cycles, then opened a private University having educated several generations of young people. Thanks to his vocation to musical art, he created the “National Piano Festival”. This event has been declared by law 4113 as Cultural Heritage of Bolivia, it is held annually in the town of Totora, a Festival that bears his name as a tribute to his meritorious career. Last year 2015 the XII version was held where pianists from all over the country attended, about 160 contestants participated, Master Rivera was decorated, with distinctions for Artistic and Cultural Merit, and was also declared "Favorite Son of Totora". Don Hernán Rivera Unzueta died on February 3, 2010 at the age of 80 in the city of Cochabamba. The Accordion has had important interpreters such as: Macario Pinto in Cbba., Víctor Hugo Zegada from the "Los Planetas" Ensemble, Dulfredo Peñaranda, Pepito Fernández and Oscar Rojas Caballero from the "Los Brillantes" ensemble, Hugo Daza, Jo-sé Barba del "Oriental Trio", Julio Rodrí-guez Berrios of "Los Ases Andinos".