The Symphony Orchestra and Choir of the Puno Public Higher School of Artistic Training (ESFA) recorded the anthem "Leo, Brother of the Journey" inside the Puno Cathedral for Pope Leo XIV’s visit to Peru, with the participation of more than 70 people.
Jorge Abel Paricahua, musical director of the Puno Symphony Orchestra, stated that the initiative began with an invitation from Lima a month ago. Following this, the students rehearsed, and ESFA handled the arrangements and orchestration based on the melodic line provided, before sending the final production to the capital.
"Being chosen from among various schools across the country is a recognition of the artistic talent cultivated in the Puno highlands, as we were entrusted with the task of performing and recording the papal anthem," Paricahua affirmed.
According to the director, the project’s origins date back a month, when the invitation arrived from Lima. Since then, ESFA Puno has been preparing the performance and musical arrangements based on the melodic score received.
The production involved more than 70 students and instructors, and the piece—lasting approximately three and a half minutes—has been sent to the capital.
The project’s social impact extends to the faithful in Puno; the anthem will represent the artistic talent, identity, and religious fervor of the Puno region. The authorities are confident that the musical piece will fittingly reflect the sentiments of the faithful in the high-altitude plateau region (altiplano).
The official recording took place inside the iconic Puno Cathedral; the ensemble members and their instructors adapted the cathedral’s spaces to ensure optimal acoustics for the audio and visual recording of the piece.
The director of the Symphony Orchestra highlighted the profound enthusiasm of the seventy young musicians regarding this event—one of great spiritual and cultural significance for the region—and noted that the ESFA (Superior School of Fine Arts) handled the entire orchestration from Puno.
This project sets ESFA Puno apart from other schools in the country; its selection for this papal production serves as a testament to the talent cultivated in the altiplano, with the orchestration developed entirely within the Puno region.
Plans are in place to send the production to the capital; this three-and-a-half-minute piece will stand as a milestone for ESFA Puno, in anticipation of the expected visit of Pope Leo XIV to Peru.
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Published: 11/10/2026