XAVIER QUIJAS YXAYOTL

Xavier Quijas Yxayotl, is a promient work music flutist, composer and instrument maker, known for his Aztec and Mayan music recreations from the ancient Americas. Xavier is also honored to have had 6 of his 7 CD releases nominated at the Native American Music Awards, two of them for Flutist of the Year.

Through the years, Xavier became one of Mexico's few artists who are able to construct instruments with his own hands, based on ancient manuscripts, which are identical to the instruments used by his pre-Hispanic ancestors.

With his music group "Indigenous America", Xavier has performed at many special events, festivals, pow wows, ceremonies, expos, amphitheatres, performing art centers, museums, universities and sports arenas, while also being aired in various public TV/cable channel special broadcasts, TV appearances and interviews. He has been for years the key performer at the The Heard Museum of Native Cultures.

A few major highlights of Xavier's carrier are performing at the opening ceremony at the Nobel Peace Prize giving blessings to the Dalai Lama (Italy, 2001), performing on stage at the Grammy's (Los Angeles, California 2002), the Behind the Arts PBS special for his patented "Fire Flute" (2002), performing at the United Nations Gala Event (New York, 2005), and performing the opening song in concert with Yanni to produce the DVD "Yanni Voices" for Disney (Acapulco, Mexico 2009).

Holding wisdom in music and ways of the ancient Americas, his knowledge has also led him to consult the History Channel on select projects, as well as giving lectures and school presentations on his many art and music teachings. He also sits on the board of directors for the International Native American Flute Association with artists like R. Carlos Nakai. One of Xavier's many accoplishments as a Master Instrument maker is being sought out by the movie industry to compose music. Most recently Xavier was the Maker of the instruments used in the Mel Gibson's movie Apocalypto, instuments which were later used to compose some of the indigenous music and sounds.