The First Trip: March 4-12, 2005

Friday, March 4
Arrive, Rio Trio concert

I flew out of Providence on Thursday, March 3rd, and after an overnight flight and two changes of planes, was picked up at the Rio airport by a driver who whisked me to an afternoon performance by the Rio Trio. The Trio – Paulo Sa, bandolim (the Brazilian mandolin), Marcus Ferrer, guitar, and Henrique Drach, cello – had come to play at Roger Williams University a year ago, at my invitation, and here I was in Brazil to perform with them. As I listened to them play, through exhaustion, I remembered how good they are. Our concert together would be the next day and I was definitely looking forward to it.

Saturday, March 5
Concert with the Rio Trio at the Palacio de Cristal in Petropolis

We rehearsed all day, and performed a concert in the exquisite Palacio de Cristal, built in Paris in the 19th century, shipped to Brazil and assembled. Our concert included choro, of course, two pieces by my Roger Williams University colleague Will Ayton, and a piece written for me by NYC-based Brazilian pianist/composer, Luiz Simas. I played duets with all three and we played together as a quartet. The concert was an artistic success, and the large and enthusiastic audience gave us a standing ovation. To play Brazilian music in Brazil with Brazilian musicians for a Brazilian audience, and to succeed so completely was a highlight of my career so far.

Sunday, March 6
Performances of traditional Brazilian music

In the afternoon I went with guitarist Marcus Ferrer and family to hear Messias, a traditional viola caipira player who was visiting from the north, play and sing traditional music – sounding much like our blues – at a house concert. I also played a couple of choro with Marcus, at Messias’ request. In the evening the Trio, with family and friends, took me to a roda da choro (traditional choro “jam” session) hosted by bandolimist Bruno Rian’s group, Conjunto Saurau. It was an all-star event, featuring guest performances by legendary bandolimist, Deo Rian – Bruno’s father; Sergio Prata, head of the Jacob do Bandolim Institute; and Luiz Otavio Braga, 7-string guitarist and professor at the University of Rio, an email contact of mine. Paulo introduced me to everyone who seemed pleased that I, a classical mandolinist and professor of music, played choro. When Deo sat in, he gave a little speech to the crowd dedicating his first piece to me, to my surprise and the delight of my tablemates.

Monday, March 7 & Saturday, March 12
Visit to the University of Rio de Janeiro

Fresh papaya for breakfast, a walk on the Copacabana beach, and then I headed for the UniRio. I had been invited by Luiz Otavio Braga, head of the String Department of the Villa-Lobos Institute, to visit the University, just starting its academic year. Professor Braga gave me a tour of the Institute and its facilities and introduced me to several professors. We also discussed our parallel research into connections between the popular music styles of the USA and Brazil in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. I met with Dr. Silvio Mehry, Director of the Villa-Lobos Institute, who had provided me with a letter of invitation for an earlier grant application. He and several of the professors urged me to apply to return for a semester, as they would love to have me teach an American music course there. I went back to UniRio again at the end of the week to see the first session of the 9-5 weekly Saturday choro school, and was introduced by the director, Rick Ventura, who I had met on Monday, to Luciana Rabello, Mauricio Carrilho, and Anna Paes, of Acari Records, some of the main proponents of the revival of traditional choro performance in Brazil.

Tuesday, March 8
Research at DIMAS, class for bandolimists, and roda at Bip Bip

Henique showed me how to use the subway, and we visited the Division of Music at the National Library, and met Suzana Martins, who had helped me with my online choro research during my sabbatical in 1999. I got an on-site overview of their holdings, and was able to research and order copies of several band arrangements of choro by 19th-century composers that are useful in arranging choro lead-sheets for my ensemble Enigmatica. In the afternoon I gave a class on “Classical Mandolin Technique for the Chorista,” discussing the differences in performing techniques for Paulo Sa’s students who, like Paulo and me, are trying to play both styles. One student rode a bus 8 hours to come to the class, and cheerfully declared that it was worth it. Then in the evening I went with Paulo and the students to an informal weekly roda da choro – no host band – at the club Bip Bip.

Wednesday, March 9
Finding choro books and CDs and visiting Museu do Indio

In the morning Paulo took me to the Funarte store, that specializes in traditional Brazilian arts and music, and two CD stores, where I bought several books of choro and many CDs that are difficult to find in the United States. In the afternoon I took myself to the Indian Museum for a look at indigenous Brazilian culture.

Thursday, March 10
Pick up music at DIMAS and walking tour of historic central Rio

On my own I explored central Rio, near DIMAS, and the Copacabana area, where I was staying. The picture is the famous aqueduct that now carries the track for the “Bonde” the street car that runs from Centro up to Santa Teresa.

Friday, March 11
A day with Joel Nascimento

Although both Paulo and his student, who were supposed to accompany me, are unable to do so, I took a cab to the northern outskirts of Rio and the house of Joel Nascimento, the elder statesman of the Brazilian bandolim. Joel is a long-time hero of mine, the most famous student of the illustrious Jacob do Bandolim, and a beautifully expressive player. I spend an amazing 7 hours at his house – listening to him play, playing for and with him, listening to CDs, talking – somehow through language barriers – about music, his career, getting pointers on how to make my playing more Brazilian by making it more personal – a startling and very freeing concept, meeting his family, and trading CDs, his signed “Para a Marilynn, elustre companiera dos cordas…nova amiga…, um abraco.” It was an amazing experience, and taught me more about choro performance practice than all the CDs and books combined.

Saturday, March 12
Choro School, another roda, and fly home

I took a cab to UniRio for the Choro School (reported above) and Marcus picked me up there to go to a famous afternoon open-air roda da choro that has been held weekly for 17 years. The group that hosted it featured flute instead of bandolim, and the flutist was an incredible innovative interpreter of the traditional melodies. I should point out here that it was 95 and sunny, and I was a day away from shoveling snow in Rhode Island. My flight home went smoothly and I landed back in my regular life wiser, happier, with new friends, tons of new music and ideas, and a gorgeous tan. Fabulous and amazing – when can I go back?

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