our Teachers

A life straddling cultures and continents is like a split personality-potentially alienating, often accompanied by questions of belonging. For Victor-Andres Cruz “El Guámbito” the dichotomy fueled a creative journey.

Vic spent his first 12 years in the small town of Cogua, Colombia: steeped in traditional music, surrounded by green, mist-hung mountains and farmlands with contrasting cityscapes. He took naturally to traditional Colombian sounds, immersing himself and his voice in a colorful field of musical expressions, bonfires and storytelling before he was old enough to tie a shoe.

Moving north away from home and to cope with being an immigrant preteen growing up in the late 90’s USA, Victor obsessed over Colombian traditional music and instruments as a defense mechanism. He found refuge and a profound sense of identity rooted in these sounds. Raised as an amalgamation between the Colombian Andean countryside, Florida, New England and New York City, Victor created a voice and a place where all worlds converge.  

Striking a musical balance of the countries that wrought him became a study in both culture and personal history. They’ve culminated in Nemegata, Vic’s personal project based in Austin, TX.   

Vic combines the Colombian sounds of his childhood and culture, and the eclecticism of his years growing up in the US, with reflective travel overseas and several frosty winters in Boston and New York. All of it resulting in a rich tapestry of dreams, memories and love for home—wherever home is.

Vic is also a graduate of Berklee College of music where he focused on arranging, composing, singing, and Latin percussion and music.  Because of both his traditional and academic background, he has found a way to consolidate both schools of thought for singing and music in general. Focusing on building and nurturing confidence, awareness, trust, tone and rhythm before anything else. 

Vic is an active member of the Austin music scene with Nemegata and Caramelo Haze. He has also collaborated with bands and artists such as Grupo Fantasma, Money Chicha, Superfónicos, Beto Martinez, Adrian Quesada, among others.