Our Ensemble members are not only compelling performers,
but also highly experienced teachers in both private and classroom settings. We will guide your students through
Brazilian music, from the classic bossa-novas of Antonio Carlos Jobim (1960s) to more contemporary sambas along with original songs utilizing that tradition.
(The Music Director has been teaching since 1974)
For K-9 presentations in a typical 50-minute time block,
we have found that performing four pieces works best.
Because each member of our ensemble plays different instruments —
keyboard (nylon-string guitar, bass, & electric piano sounds),
alto flute and voice;
voice (both in English & Portuguese) and shaker; and
drum set/percussion (panderio, cajon, & tamborim) —
we alot ample time to demonstrate and explain each one.
We also field questions from the students, drawing from each of our performers' rich backgrounds. For our music-specific high school and college presentations, we present a detailed overview of different approaches to arranging and composing, including our choice of instrumentation and how the Portuguese language affects the rhythmic posture of the music.
