For a composer to become truly iconic, his work has to be instantly recognizable. Gustavo Santaolalla has achieved his icon status for just this reason. With his signature ronroco, the Andean mandolin he learned to play as a boy, he’s carved out a singular sound that has graced film, TV, and even games, including the award-winning scores for Brokeback Mountain, The Last of Us (the TV show and the game), and many more.

 

Born on August 19, 1951 in the Ciudad Jardín Lomas del Palomar neighborhood of the Buenos Aires province, he was given his first ronroco and became utterly captivated by music, abandoning his early desire to become a priest. He formed his first group, Arco Iris (“rainbow” in Spanish) in 1967 at age 16. An acoustic rock ensemble whose music was imbued with regional folk sounds, Arco Iris was highly influential from its inception through the late 70s.