(b Cereté, July 18, 1945). Colombian composer. He completed his undergraduate studies in composition at the National University of Colombia (1970) and was granted a scholarship to study in Paris with Nadia Boulanger, where he twice won the Grand Prix de Composition (1971, 1973) and experimented with electronic techniques under the supervision of Pierre Schaeffer. He returned to Colombia (1973), then lived in New York (1978–80), working as a composer and arranger for Eddie Palmieri and his Fania All Stars Orchestra. After working from 1982–6 with the Bogotá PO, he was cultural attaché of the Colombian Embassy in Bonn (1986–90); during this period he travelled extensively in Europe, Asia, Africa and the Americas, lecturing about his music and giving concerts. He returned to the USA in 1991.
As a composer Zumaqué was committed to bridging the gap between erudite music and urban and traditional music. His first CD, ...