“The concert quenista” was applauded by Billy Idol: who is this iconic Peruvian character?

A noble gesture. british artist He moved his followers by thanking Latin America for the warm reception he received at the concerts that were part of his “The Roadside Tour 2022” tour. But what caught the attention of users was the video he shared, where a Peruvian musician is seen playing the quena.

LOOK: Billy Idol and the noble gesture he had with a Peruvian who plays his music with a quena

The rock figure of the 80s and 90s appeared in Lima on September 4 at the Arena Peru and brought together more than 10,000 attendees with his classics such as “Cradle of Love”, “Flesh or Fantasy”, “Speed” and his most recent single, “Cage”.

In recognition of this experience, Billy Idol shared a post on Instagram. “Thank you America for such an incredible welcome… meanwhile in Peru I have left my mark,” was the message he wrote.

In the images you can see Iván Oviedo, popularly known as ‘the quenista of the concerts’. Within the same video you can read “this man has been playing for years in all the concerts. He is a cute”.

As mentioned, this is not the first time that Iván has been present at the previews of important concerts in the capital. This publication has generated curiosity to know more about the Peruvian quenista who is present in the most important shows that take place in the capital. Here we tell you more about him.

Who is “the quenista of the concerts”?

Iván Oviedo, or as he is often known ´the concert flutist/quenista´, is a young man who has learned to make a living through music since he was very young. Together with his parents and siblings, he arrived in Lima at just 4 years old from Huancayo looking for a better quality of life.

At that age, he was diagnosed with polio, a disabling disease caused by the polio virus. It often cruelly attacks children, and in Iván’s case, it infected his left leg and prevents him from moving it.

In the first year of primary school, when he was approximately 6 years old, he decided to leave school due to the bullying that his schoolmates exerted on him. This is how he decided to seek refuge in the streets, and that is where he also falls in love with music.

“Since my adolescence I liked music. He saw how the boys played his quena and I liked it. I wanted to learn to play quena first, I even bought one and tried it out. Instead of getting a melody out, I got wounds (in my mouth). But I didn’t give up.”said to .

All the tips he received from passers-by helped Iván to survive with his family in the capital. He remembers that he even tried to figure out how to continue making music: he used to fold a piece of newspaper and insert a comb to generate a very particular sound.

Once he knew how to play the quena correctly, he never left them again. “I got excited. I learned ´Ojos Azules´ and several songs”he added.

One of the first stages that was offered to him to show his talent was in La Videna. The organization opened its doors for him so that Iván could meet the players and play some singles for them; in return he received some tips from the team.

Quenista Iván Oviedo with players Roberto Palacios (left), Miguel Rebosio (center) and Teófilo Cubillas (right). (Photos: Capture on the Sixth Day)

His presence at concerts

Iván Oviedo has easily spent more than 10 years attending the exteriors of stadiums before important concerts. The first time he was seen at an event of this type was at the Guns N’ Roses show, which took place in March 2010 at the Monumental Stadium.

Subsequently, it has also been present outside the concerts of Christian Meier (Parque de la Exposición, October 2016), Paul McCartney (Monumental Stadium, May 2011) and Pearl Jam (San Marcos Stadium, November 2011), among others.

This year, with the return of the great concerts to Lima after the worst time of the COVID-19 pandemic, Iván Oviedo has once again stood out in videos broadcast on social networks where he is seen playing the quena. This is how he reached the star Billy Idol, who shared his talent through Twitter.

Despite the illness that afflicts him, Iván Oviedo may continue to be present at the remaining concerts this year and may continue to dazzle the public with his quena.

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“The concert quenista” was applauded by Billy Idol: who is this iconic Peruvian character?