Mafer is a Venezuelan bandola virtuosa, producer, and composer redefining traditional music for global stages. A leading voice in the Afro-Indigenous traditions of joropo llanero, she is among the few women worldwide mastering the bandola and expanding its sonic possibilities.

Based in New York, Mafer bridges heritage and diaspora through electrifying performances and community-rooted cultural initiatives. With deep roots in the Venezuelan plains and an expansive contemporary vision, she transforms tradition into living, forward-moving sound.

She is co-founder and current member of LADAMA, an international collective of women musicians creating original music in Spanish, English, and Portuguese. She is also the creator and host of @PipirisNights, New York’s first community-centered gathering dedicated to live Venezuelan joropo music and dance.

In March 2026, she will appear in the premiere of Bloodlines Interwoven, a collaborative commissioning project created by Kaoru Watanabe, presented at the Big Ears Festival in Knoxville.

Mafer is a performer, educator, and cultural leader whose work has been recognized through multiple residencies and grants. She is a member of the 2025–2026 Joe’s Pub Working Group, where she is developing a new body of work to premiere in June 2026.