Madrid’s vibrant music scene is full of gems and untold stories. Despite winter taking hold, there are many upcoming gigs with emerging artists and performers. For each of these, there is an untold story waiting to be showcased. Santiago Vokram is a local performing artist who wields a violin to serenade his audiences. I have had the good fortune to witness him in action and interview him about his life and creative journey.
My first impression of him was that his attire and unique sense of style reflected that he is a person who breathes in creative energy. He can take the sound to areas I didn’t think violins were capable.
So without further ado, here’s his story and upcoming dates so you, too, can experience his music.
Santiago Vokram’s musical story and style
Hailing from Mexico City, Santiago began his career as a musician there in Rock-Celtic fusion band La Agonia de Leonara at 13. He devoted himself fully to practicing the violin, and growing as a performer, citing it as an escape from the empty spaces of life. He would go on to study music at Mexico’s elite Escuela Nacional de Musica.
Santi reminisced on how in his youth he was inspired by the Spanish band Mago de Oz and when he learned that the group had split, he relocated to Madrid to join José Andrëa & Uróoboros, the next project of original Mago de Oz members.
Santi remained modest when describing his ascension to dreaming of meeting his heroes and then having the opportunity to create alongside them in his newly adopted country. He became deeply embedded in Madrid’s thriving creative scene and began performing alongside other revered local artists such as Ataca Paca, and on the international circuit with renowned Gypsy musician Robby Lakatos.
Where he is now
Santi’s current band, which reflects his personal expression, is La Sonrisa de Cibeles. This trio seeks to create something unprecedented as a cross-over fusion of world-classical and pop music. Its members are Santi on Violin, Benja Bravo on Double Bass and Germán Nuñez on Guitar. Their goal is to help a younger audience expand their perception of “classical” music and to disrupt the local music scene by introducing sounds with less precedent.
Santi’s style as a performer ranges from classical to unconventional. The violin is an essential part of traditional mariachi groups and can be weaved into classical jazz, rock, folk and other improvisational contexts. In addition to his solo-acts and collaboration with other artists, Santi performs at upscale events and in luxury hotels seeking to provide a stylized ambiance. Notably, Netflix has utilized Santiago as a creative asset in the mariachi ensemble featured in Narcos Mexico.
Our connection
What Santiago and I share is that both of us have collaborated on creative projects with the versatile public relations strategist, programmer, event planner, and art instructor Vesta Rounsaville. Vesta manages Santi’s social media presence and coordinates his routine concerts in Madrid’s venues. With her help, he has managed to expand his circle of collaborators to Madrid’s international community of musicians, comedians, and actors. Additionally, his concerts have raised funds for Madrid for Refugees, a prominent volunteer group.
Santi confided in me that as his visibility increased, he became exposed to uglier elements of the music scene noting that “adoration can become insanity or envy.” He went on to say that “If you have a vision, you need to improve it little by little.”
Despite a lack of a conventional road map to follow, coupled with at times a lack of financial security, Santi never wavered in his pursuits despite sometimes deeply missing his parents in Mexico, or his loved ones whenever he’d tour for prolonged periods.
Upcoming shows
You can be captivated by Santiago’s stage personality and violin prowess at Teatro-Bar Hipócritas (La Latina) this Saturday the 23rd at 22:00 where La Sonrisa de Cibeles will enchant their audience.
You can also catch them at Microteatro Por Dinero‘s mini-concert festival Microsound in December (Malasaña/Gran Vía). Tickets for the concert in Teatro-Bar Hipócritas can be purchased via Entradium.
Contact
If you would like for Santiago Vokram to perform at an event, or to utilize his work for branded content, contact Vesta Rounsaville.
If you know of any other Madrid-based artists that you’d like to showcase on Naked Madrid, don’t hesitate to get in touch with us to submit a post.
