Roberto Torres

Roberto Torres is a Chilean-born musician, composer, and researcher based in Lausanne, Switzerland. His work explores the intersections of artistic practice, migration, cultural circulation, and forms of resistance.

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Trained in music theory and popular music in Chile, he later earned a Master's degree in Cultural Management from the Université Libre de Bruxelles and a PhD in Social Sciences from the University of Lausanne. His doctoral research examines the circulation of musicians and traditional musical practices from the Colombian Caribbean, particularly gaitaand bullerengue, between Colombia and Europe, with a focus on Switzerland. His research led him to spend several years living in Colombia's Caribbean region, immersing himself in local musical traditions and exploring the social, cultural, and transnational networks through which these practices circulate.

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As a composer, singer, and multi-instrumentalist, Roberto performs on guitar, piano, accordion, and electric bass. Deeply connected to Latin American musical traditions, particularly those of the Andean region, he also plays traditional instruments such as the charango, quena, and zampoñas (Andean panpipes). His artistic practice brings together diverse musical influences, moving between traditional and contemporary forms of expression.

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Working across artistic disciplines, Roberto has collaborated with artists in theatre, film, and circus, developing musical projects that extend beyond conventional boundaries. In 2016, his original score for the film Tila, fragmentos de un psicópata was nominated for Best Chilean Film Music at the Viña del Mar International Film Festival (FICVIÑA).