The electrical engineering master’s student said he used to dance as a child, but always wished he could play the music himself.
His desire came to fruition at the age of 14 when, by chance, he learned to play the cajón, a box-shaped wooden percussion instrument that originated in Peru. “The Buddhist organisation I belong to has a folklore group,” said Gonzales. “Back in the day they needed someone to play the cajón and there was a professional player who came to teach me.” Later, while studying in the United States as part of the United World Colleges programme, he took drum lessons. And as his interest in percussion instruments continued to grow, he taught himself how to play timbales and conga drums.
Over the years, Gonzales has performed in Peruvian music groups, student groups and a small Latin band. And last year he joined The Latin Band Project launched by Groover, the TU Delft student jazz society, which plays mostly salsa music. When asked what he loves about salsa, Gonzales said: “Maybe it’s a cultural thing, but mainstream music like rock has very straightforward rhythms. But salsa is syncopated. When I hear it, it really makes me want to move.”
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