Fifty Years and beyond since… “El Computador Virtuoso” by José Vicente Asuar.

This album, “TECNOASUAR”, was created to commemorate the 50th anniversary of “El Computador Virtuoso”, an educational album produced by the Sound Technology Research Group of the Faculty of Musical and Performing Arts Sciences at the University of Chile. The project was conceptualized and led by José Vicente Asuar, an acoustics professor at the university, with Víctor Rivera, an Electrical Engineering and Sound Technology student, responsible for the design and implementation of the devices and systems, and Cristian Vergara, a Composition student, contributing to the stylistic development of several pieces. Other students from the Sound Technology program also collaborated at various stages of the project. The album was produced using a PDP-8 computer from Digital Equipment Corporation (DEC) between January and March 1973.

José Vicente Asuar is one of South America’s most important electronic musicians. He created the first computer exclusively for music in Chile (the COMDASUAR) and, in 1958, established Latin America’s first Electronic Music Studio at the Pontifical Catholic University of Chile.

This homage, tribute, recognition, and act of memory celebrates Asuar’s contributions, his unique approach to sound, his way of “interpreting” and teaching, and is dedicated to all who took part in that initial project, especially to José Vicente Asuar and his legacy. The sound-based archival work for this project was realized by music producer Johannes Concha (aka S3T3) and Pablo Castex (aka DJ Castex) between January and March 2023, honoring the 50th anniversary of “El Computador Virtuoso”. We believe in the importance of preserving the sonic heritage of our territory, understanding its impact, and appreciating the far-reaching influence of this achievement, as well as highlighting Asuar’s immense contribution—a vast sonic archive full of recordings and frequencies, inviting us to explore and embrace new sounds.

The development of the COMDASUAR and Asuar’s pedagogical work in music and sound are equally groundbreaking. In his teachings, Asuar connected the musical traditions of Bach, folklore, and popular music, explaining in a didactic way the principal ideas of the theory of sound and acoustics, and placing them within reach of all. Still, Asuar’s work neither began nor ended with “El Computador Virtuoso”; he had already established an extensive career as a professor and composer at the University of Chile. Fortunately, he continued producing material and sharing his knowledge until his passing in 2017.

Pablo Castex
(Santiago, Chile. Noviembre / November 2024)