The ensemble originated at the initiative of the Ayala-Campos family, who in the nineties were founders and members of the “Voces y Cantares” choir in Carrizal, Venezuela -, a group that has been active for 26 years. After their arrival in the United States in 2016, they proposed singing a mass in honor of the Virgin of Coromoto – Patroness of Venezuela – at the St. Mark The Evangelist Catholic church in New Tampa, where the liturgical texts were performed with typical Venezuelan music.
The emotional reaction of the public, after listening the rhythms of the country, generated the idea of staying together to sing traditional Christmas carols, songs, and rhythms December of that same year. This became the prelude to Wattaka, the organization that was taking shape.
Wattaka was founded in January 2017 by a group of Venezuelans — residing in the city of Tampa, Florida — with the main purpose of disseminating the culture and musical wealth of Venezuela in the United States. In addition to being a project in the musical field, its vision as an organization proposes to expand towards other cultural manifestations and direct its efforts to facilitate the incorporation of Venezuelans in the United States, to contribute with cultural and integration exchange between both countries. Today Wattaka includes other Latin-American cultural manifestations with the same purpose.
Starting in 2017, the group strengthens its commitment as a polyphonic choral group. Thus, it establishes weekly rehearsals at the St. Mark The Evangelist Catholic Church, offering annual concerts under the direction of its first director-conductor, René Ayala, during the festival in honor of the Virgin of Coromoto, as well as performing Christmas bonuses carols during the Christmas season. Since then, Wattaka has offered concerts at various venues in the Tampa community. Among them, New Tampa Performing Arts Center, Nativity Catholic School, in Brandon, Moffit Cancer Center (Tampa) and Rotary Club (Brandon) for members of the LUNA organization, and at the Christmas Blessing by Father Palmar, at the invitation of the Venezuela-USA Foundation, as well as at the First Tampa International Book Fair, the Tampa City Ballet, and The Nucleus Orchestral Program, among others. Likewise, Wattaka has sponsored the shows: “Cuentos de serenatas y serenateros” (2016), “A serenade for Venezuela” (2019 and 2021) and “The magic of cuatro”
Since their beginnings they have had the collaboration of renowned Venezuelan musicians such as Miguel Delgado Estévez, Alicia Sergent, Carlos Jorges and cuatro concert performer Eduardo Ramírez. The ensemble incorporates accompaniment of Venezuelan folk instruments by its own members and guest artists. Wattaka has recently offered choral repertoire in Spanish and English to strengthen the ties of integration between Hispanics and the American audience.
From 2020 to 2022, the vocal direction and technique was Itxaso Satrústegui (Ona Kirei), a successful Spanish singer and arranger whose extensive musical career greatly contributed to the musical and vocal development of its members. At the beginning of 2023, Astrid Sánchez Pargas — a graduate of the Venezuelan Orchestra System — assumes the musical direction of Wattaka to further elevate the interpretive quality of Venezuelan folkloric expressions, as well as to incorporate international pieces and sacred repertoire.
Management (IESA). 46+ years of experience in business. Author and degree in Family Counseling and Guidance.
M.D., Nuclear Medicine Training (Puerto Rico). Radiology residency in London. 40+ years as Radiologist and Head of Dept., in Venezuela, UK, and Spain.
B.Sc. in Chemistry, M.A. in Theological Studies (St. Leo University). 35+ years of experience in international business. He is currently a Deacon, a member of the clergy of St. Mark The Evangelist Parish, in New Tampa.
M.Sc. in Biology, B.Sc. in Marine Biology, Advanced Management Program (IESA). 15+ years in business management and diagnostics sales. Founder of Daylight Concepts, currently is the CEO and business consultant at “Puede Consulting”.
Mechanical Engineer (Universidad Simón Bolívar), Advanced Management (IESA). 43+ years of experience in business. Currently a member of the board of several international companies.
Ph.D. in Electrical Engineering (USF), Multiple master’s degrees in engineering. Professor and researcher in control systems and neuroscience integration in education; STEM advocate.
BA in Audiovisual Mass Communication. 20+ years in radio, TV, and digital media. Currently Audiovisual Group Executive Director, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, UCF College Football and Orlando City Soccer Spanish Play by Play Broadcaster.
Mechanical Engineer (Northeastern University), Advanced Operations and Finance (IESA) 25+ years in logistics, sales, and manufacturing; Manager at Ford, Crowley, East Harbor.
Extensive musical training with leading Venezuelan masters. 33+ years as renowned cuatro soloist and cultural ambassador. Former Director of Culture and Music Organizations in Venezuela and guest conductor of several orchestras in Germany.
Wattaka, a name modified from the word “guataca” so that it can be pronounced correctly in English, is a term used in Venezuela with several meanings linked to making music, the most common being getting together for an informal musical evening. The seed that gave fruit to this group is based on the love for music and culture, the Venezuelan identity, the remembrance of its roots united in a single voice “to live and share emotions” as an act of service to the community. Family, integrity, commitment are the sine qua non values that this organization advocates, as a group and active members of the community.
Starting in 2022, Wattaka registers as a corporation and obtains certification as a nonprofit organization registered with the IRS under IRC Section 501(c)(3), status 509(a)(2).
