Modern Music in Costa Rica: Listening to our essence

Published on 24 March 2025

Modern Music Part I

Modern Music in Costa Rica: Afternoons of Gathering and Listening

The music of Costa Rica is a diverse and rich cultural expression, influenced by different musical trends that have reached the country over the centuries.

Origins of Costa Rican Music

Costa Rican music, like other cultural manifestations in the country, is the result of a mixture of rhythms and styles that arrived from different parts of the world. Among the oldest genres that influenced musical development are the waltz, the mazurka and the polka, which arrived in Costa Rica from Europe, via Spain, especially from the region of Catalonia.

Historical Music Archive: Preserving Costa Rica’s Sound Heritage

The Historical Music Archive (AHM) of the University of Costa Rica has played a fundamental role in the preservation of the country’s musical heritage. Founded 25 years ago and coordinated by Zamira Barquero, this archive has worked on the recovery, restoration and dissemination of scores, compositions and manuscripts from the 19th, 20th and 21st centuries.

Among the treasures safeguarded in the AHM is the Patriotic Anthem of 1856, composed by Alejandro Cardona Llorens. This is the oldest work in the archive and has the distinction of having been performed during the war against the filibusters. In addition, the archive contains valuable collections of works donated by relatives of Costa Rican composers and musicians.

Women in Costa Rican Music

Despite the fact that the musical world was dominated by men during the 20th century, some female composers managed to stand out. Among them are Rocío Sanz and Dolores Castegnaro. Rocío Sanz’s work was donated to the University of Costa Rica by her husband after her death in 1993, while Castegnaro’s output was rescued and preserved in the Archivo Histórico Musical after having been kept in Mexico for more than 17 years.

Musical Identity by Region

Each region of Costa Rica has developed its own musical identity based on traditional rhythms:

San José: Waltz and a wide variety of genres due to its status as the capital.
Heredia: Waltz and tambito.
Cartago: Mazurka, waltz and polka.
Alajuela: Waltz and “pasillo”.
Puntarenas: “Pasillo”, “parranderas”, Colombian-influenced cumbias and bolero.
Guanacaste: Parrandera, punto, dance, contradance, and others.
Limón: Calypso and quadrilles, music traditionally associated with carnival parades.

Exploring the history of modern music in Costa Rica also means listening to and appreciating the wealth of sound that has characterized the country over the years.