January Music Festivals Fill Southern Brazil With Notes of Joy

Arianna Quartet

Fry Street Quartet, double bassist Jeff Brodetich, PAO Dowling , CAS Maria Estela Correa and Curitiba Cultural Foundation President Maria Christina de Andrade Vieira.

The rains came heavily to southern Brazil in January, but in Curitiba and Jaragua do Sul, there was an outpouring of music and goodwill for the thousands of young musicians who had the pleasure of receiving instruction from two American string quartets sponsored by the U.S.Consulate in Sao Paulo.  The two festivals, the Curitiba Oficina and Festival de Musica in Santa Catarina (FEMUSC) brought young musicians and music professionals from over twenty two countries together for workshops, lectures, music history discussions and daily performances in the local communities.  For many of the students, these festivals are the only opportunities to receive musical training at this high level and the rapport between and the response from teachers and students alike were phenomenal.  As one student said about his Santa Catarina experience, “The quality of instruction is unbelievable and I can’t get enough.  I’ve learned more in two weeks than I have in two years because of this festival.”

The U.S. Consulate in Sao Paulo arranged the participation of Fry Street Quartet (http://www.frystreetquartet.com/), bassist Jeff Bradetich in the Curitiba Music Festival (http://www.oficinademusica.org.br/) and the Arianna String Quartet (http://www.ariannaquartet.com/index.html)  and violist Clara Takarabe in the Santa Catarina Music Festival (http://www.femusc.com.br/11/).  All musicians performed several superb standing room only concerts but spent the bulk of their time working directly with the young musicians in daily workshops and master classes, who are impressive in their desire to achieve new levels of music technique.  John McGrosso from Arianna String Quartet put it best: “The students here (Santa Catarina Festival) have this thirst for instruction and unbelievable dedication to their instruments.  This festival has been an energizing experience for all of us and we look forward to coming back soon.”  Will Fedkenheuer from Fry Street Quartet characterized the Curitiba Music Workshop as “truly a life-affirming tour for us.  The love and energy of the audiences, students and culture is something that re-energizes our performances and our drive to do the best that we can.  It is simply electrifying and there is no other place that we visit that stimulates all of us in this way.”  

The festivals are integrated into the local communities, offering free performances and interactive activities for people of all ages.  In Santa Catarina, concerts by the visiting professionals are staged in museums, city parks, and even prisons, and a “Music Zoo” every Saturday introduces as many as 600 children to various musical instruments.  FEMUSC organizers will also hold a benefit concert with all proceeds being donated to those who lost their homes in the recent floods in the area.  In Curitiba the organizers focus on social responsibility projects also including a green initiative to plant 1,000 trees during the festival.  Thousands of young musicians from different countries and regions of Brazil come together at these festivals to share their experiences and return home enriched on every level, more aware of themselves, their worlds and their futures possibly in music.