Misti Music & Education is an independent music and arts organization founded by Peruvian musicians Sofía Carrasco and Víctor Sotomayor, originally from Arequipa, Peru, and currently based in Jersey City, New Jersey.
Named after the iconic Misti volcano in our hometown, our organization was founded with a clear purpose: to build a bridge between jazz and Peruvian music, promoting jazz in Peru and sharing the richness and diversity of Peruvian music with audiences in the United States.
Our work encompasses performance, composition, music education, and interdisciplinary artistic projects. We explore both musical traditions independently and through their intersection, drawing from the rhythms, melodies, and cultural expressions of Peru while embracing the creative possibilities of jazz.
Through Ramaje, our Peruvian jazz ensemble, we present original music, recordings, and interdisciplinary performances that bring together music and visual arts. Our work has been presented at institutions, festivals, and music venues throughout New York and New Jersey, including Columbia University, New York University, Clement’s Place Jazz, Open Source Gallery, Art House Productions, and the Stage 14C Performing Arts Festival.
Our educational initiatives include collaborations with Pachamama Peruvian Arts, workshops, educational concerts, and digital resources that reach a community of over 40,000 followers. Through translations, musical transcriptions, and educational content, we make jazz more accessible to Spanish-speaking audiences and Peruvian music to English-speaking audiences.
Víctor Sotomayor
Pianist, composer, arranger, and educator
Víctor Sotomayor is a Peruvian pianist and composer whose work explores the connections between jazz, Peruvian musical traditions, and contemporary composition. He studied Classical Piano in Arequipa, and holds a Master's degree in Composition with New Technologies from Universidad Internacional de La Rioja in Spain, and a Master's degree in Music Composition from New Jersey City University.
His musical work encompasses orchestral and chamber music, jazz composition, arrangements, and improvisation, drawing particularly from Andean and Afro-Peruvian musical traditions.
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Founders & Artistic Directors
Sofía Carrasco
Saxophonist, composer, visual artist, and educator
Sofía Carrasco is a Peruvian musician and visual artist whose work explores the relationship between music, visual arts, and Peruvian cultural identity. She studied classical music and visual arts in Arequipa and holds a Master's degree in Jazz Performance from New Jersey City University.
Her artistic practice draws inspiration from Peruvian history, traditional celebrations, Andean music, and the relationship between people and nature. Her debut album, Alma Escondida (2025), brings together original compositions and visual artworks, establishing a dialogue between her two artistic disciplines.
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