The Surtierra Tour culminates in two major performances at the Actor’s Church during Refugee Week 2025, where music and home will meet in a celebration that unites cultures and voices. 

The iconic Anglo-Chilean band Quimantu takes to the stage with a choir of over 100 singers for two nights of unique collaboration. On Friday 20th June Quimantu will perform the Misa de los Mineros with the choirs of WemsFest from West Sussex/ Hampshire, SWVG refugee group from Southampton and Andover Museum Loft Singers.

The Misa de los Mineros "The Miners' Mass" is a powerful musical piece, fusing elements of British culture with profound Latin American roots, leaving an indelible mark on the hearts of audiences wherever it is performed. Composed by Mauricio Venegas-Astorga in 1998, the work was conceived as a prayer of the coal miners in Chile, who cried out for dignity and light amidst the darkness of the underground tunnels. This powerful musical piece, in its new symphonic choral version from 2023, is a plea for justice and humanity that remains alive in the world and on this tour across the UK. 

In Quimantu, the sounds of Chile and Latin America coexist with traditional and contemporary styles. Andean instruments—charangos, zampoñas, quenas, bombos—explosively unite with violins, violas, and cellos. The concert’s 2nd half will feature music from Quimantu’s compelling repertoire of Latin American and world music alongside songs from the local choirs. 

The Misa de los Mineros is “a captivating masterpiece that weaves the traditional with the contemporary through the beauty of heartfelt performances and arrangements” Felipe Arévalo

(Universal Music) 

Through its Surtierra Touring Project, Quimantu aims to break the stigmas associated with immigration caused by war, persecution, or poverty. The concerts will result from workshops and rehearsals with six local choirs in Hampshire, Dorset, and Sussex, composed of singers from communities across various geographic areas. The tour is a tribute to those forced to leave their homeland, often with sorrow. In this context, music takes on a profound meaning: healing, uniting, rooting, and building community. 

You can find out more about the project and Quimantu at www.quimantu.net 

The Surtierra Tour is supported by Arts Council England and the Foyle Foundation.