Peruvian bandleader Christian Domínguez has paid tribute to musician Samir Collantes after the keyboard player died suddenly in Peru on Friday, November 6.
Collantes served as the musical director and keyboardist for Puro Sentimiento, one of the prominent cumbia orchestras managed by Domínguez. The sudden loss has cast a shadow across the Peruvian cumbia scene, where both musicians had worked closely together on stage and in the recording studio.
Domínguez broke his silence about the bereavement during an appearance from the set of the morning television program América Hoy, where he works as a presenter. Speaking through his personal Instagram account between filming commitments, the television personality and husband of Karla Tarazona conveyed the overwhelming shock experienced by everyone in his musical teams.
Domínguez said the news had left everyone completely frozen and devastated, noting that Collantes was very young and held exceptional artistic talent. He acknowledged that colleagues and loved ones had wept heavily for the musician following the sudden announcement of his passing.
In his video message, Domínguez shared a spiritual reflection regarding the loss, stating that it was understandable God would take Collantes so that he could perform and produce music in heaven. He praised the keyboardist as a gifted music producer whose creativity had guided the sound of the ensemble.
Band Statements and Mourning
The death was formally confirmed on Friday through coordinated statements published on the official social media channels of Puro Sentimiento and La Gran Orquesta Internacional, both of which operate under Domínguez's leadership.
In their joint announcement, the ensembles mourned the unexpected bereavement and described Collantes as far more than a colleague. The groups stated that they had lost not only an extraordinary musician, but also a brother. The official statement did not disclose any details regarding the cause of death.
Domínguez admitted that band members had barely been able to sleep overnight after receiving the painful news. Despite the emotional toll, the singer explained that the musicians had to push ahead with their professional responsibilities, adding that he hoped Friday would prove less painful than Thursday as the team returned to work.
The Peruvian Cumbia Tradition
Puro Sentimiento and La Gran Orquesta Internacional are two of the most widely followed groups in modern Peruvian cumbia, a dance genre that commands enormous audiences throughout the South American country. The musical style blends traditional Colombian rhythmic structures with Andean melodies, electric guitars, and modern synthesiser arrangements, drawing thousands of fans to live concert halls and touring festivals across Peru.
Within large cumbia orchestras, musical directors occupy a critical technical role, supervising horn sections, percussionists, and rhythm players while directing live performances and studio production. Domínguez, who rose to national fame in the late 1990s as a member of boy band La Joven Sensación before establishing his own performing groups, has long relied on accomplished arrangers to maintain the fast tempo performance style required by the genre.
While the group continues to mourn the sudden loss, Domínguez reaffirmed that the musicians intend to maintain their working schedule, pledging that the orchestra will give everything they have as they honour their fallen colleague through their performances.
