Raymi Saldaña Rojas, who has died aged 14, was a virtuoso multi-instrumentalist, known for winning young artist awards and playing at prestigious venues and music festivals.
He grew up surrounded by music and artists as his parents, Jeanette Rojas (known as Phaxsi Coca) and Carlos Saldaña (Kanti Quena), are musicians themselves, part of the group Lokandes. Though Raymi was born in London, his Bolivian mother and Peruvian father taught him traditional instruments and rhythms from the Andean region of South America. He was especially proficient in the 10-stringed charango, had achieved grade 8 piano and was working towards grade 8 on the flute.
Raymi went to Grafton primary in Holloway, north London, and then William Ellis school in Gospel Oak. He was supported for four years by London Music Fund and attended Music Education Islington – led by the Guildhall School of Music and Drama – where he was part of the flute ensemble.
In 2022 he performed a solo at the Transforming Young Lives event at Kings Place in north London. His mentors and teachers at Music Education Islington are setting up an award in his name, in recognition of his talent and joy for music.
At nine, Raymi won an award from Young Sounds UK, which gave him funding and opportunities, including to play in a chamber music project at the Royal Academy of Music, to try jazz improvisation at Leeds Conservatoire and to play alongside musicians of the BBC Symphony Orchestra at Maida Vale studios. In 2023, aged 13, he won an “honourable mention” at the New Talent festival, hosted at the Royal Academy of Music.
He played alongside his parents in the trio Sagrada Familia UK – Sumaq Ayllu, a project that emerged during lockdown. It grew in scope as they recorded an album of Latin American folk music, on which Raymi played the flute, charango and keyboard. The album includes covers of songs by the renowned singer-songwriters Violeta Parra and Victor Jara, plus traditional Andean music.
The family trio played in different venues and festivals, most notably opening for the Peruvian singer-songwriter Susana Baca at the Jazz Café in 2023, a few days after Raymi turned 13, making him the youngest person to perform at the venue.
He was an avid reader and loved spending time with his friends, with whom he played in two different bands: the mellow rock band Walrus and the jazz trio Dynamic Trio.
I knew Raymi as I am a friend of his family. He was passionate about peace, justice and humanity. As a member of Global Generation, a charity that co-create gardens with the local community, he worked to attract wildlife in King’s Cross by spreading bird feeders and helped to raise awareness about climate change.
The name Raymi in Quechua means a festival, a celebration; Willka, his second name, means sacred in Quechua and sun in Aymara. He will be remembered for his kindness and humility.
Raymi drowned at the IJ lake, Amsterdam’s waterfront. He is survived by Jeanette and Carlos.
