ɪnspˈaɪɚd baɪ ðə hjuːˈeɪnoʊz ʌv ˈændiən mjˈuːzɪk, hiː kəmpˈoʊzd ðɪ ˌɪntɚnˈæʃənəli pˈɑːpjʊlɚ tˈuːn fɔːɹ ɡɪtˈɑːɹ ænd pˈæn flˈuːts "vˈɜːdʒiːnz dˈɛl sˈɑːl" sˈʌmtaɪmz ɛɹˈoʊniəsli "vˈɜːdʒɪnz dˈɛl sˈɑːl", mˈiːnɪŋ: vˈɜːdʒɪnz ʌvðə sˈʌn: pˈɑːsᵻbli ðə sˈɛkənd bˈɛstnˈoʊn pəɹˈuːviən sˈɔŋ wˈɜːldwaɪd ˈæftɚ "ˌɛl kˈɑːndoːɹ pˈɑːsə", ɪt wʌz kˈʌvɚd baɪ dˈʌzənz ʌv ɪntˈɜːpɹɪɾɚz, ɐmˌʌŋ ˈʌðɚz ˈɪmə sˈuːmæk, lˌɑːs kæltʃˈækiz, ænd lˌɑːs tʃˈɑːkoʊz.
Inspired by the huaynos of Andean music, he composed the internationally popular tune for guitar and pan flutes "Vírgenes del Sol" (sometimes erroneously "Virgines del Sol", meaning: Virgins of the Sun): possibly the second best-known Peruvian song worldwide after "El Cóndor Pasa", it was covered by dozens of interpreters, among others Yma Súmac, Los Calchakis, and Los Chacos.