Asuar Archive: Creation of a publicly accessible digital heritage archive

Abstract

This document presents the development of a heritage research project centered on the renowned Chilean composer and innovator José Vicente Asuar (1933–2017), a pioneer of electroacoustic music in Chile. The research focused on the digitization of magnetic tapes belonging to the composer’s estate, as well as the identification of their contents and the compilation of available online documents about Asuar. These included articles authored by him, references and reviews in national and international journals, and other documentary sources. This text describes the technical and procedural processes undertaken during the research, adhering to international archival standards, and discusses aspects related to the segmentation criteria of the archives and the technologies employed by the composer. As a result, 68 magnetic tapes were digitized, including at least one work not listed in the composer’s official catalog (Gallegos 2017). Additionally, 188 documents available online were cataloged and integrated into a freely accessible website created for this archive. This initiative contributes to the preservation and dissemination of José Vicente Asuar’s musical and documentary legacy by facilitating access to heritage records that enhance the understanding of electroacoustic music in Chile and the work of one of its foremost exponents.