Almost 800 musicians aged between six and 24 were represented at the Fado Café stage by a group of 12 performers from the wind chamber group of the orchestra. Despite their small number, the dozen musicians took the stage “with a lot of courage and energy to pretend they are 300,” said Moana Martins, director of the Chiquinha Gonzaga Youth Symphony Orchestra, just before their 16:30 performance.
The orchestra was established in 2021 within the Brazilian Institute of Music and Education (IBME), which runs various educational and socio-cultural development projects through music.
The new project was designed as part of preparations for a “special tribute for International Women’s Day.”
“We already had five big orchestras, but we lacked representation of girls in several instruments: trombone, trumpet, percussion, double bass,” recalled Moana Martins, describing the Chiquinha Gonzaga Orchestra as “an exercise in musical training, leadership, autonomy, and courage.”
All the orchestra members are students from Brazilian public schools, with many joining through music training hubs located in areas of high social vulnerability.
“We start with activities at these hubs. They lack previous musical experience or have just initial exposure, and they progress through a complete training program up to university. The hubs are an initial stage. The second stage is the Youth Symphony Orchestra, and in the third stage, they become instructors. Now they participate in activities and return as teachers, coordinators, assistants, producers,” explained Moana Martins.
Camila Peres, a bassoonist, exemplifies the story shared by the orchestra’s director.
The 18-year-old recounted her journey with the IBME projects since she was 12.
“I have been part of other orchestras in the project. We have five other groups that are mixed. And when I joined the Chiquinha Gonzaga Orchestra was when I started playing the bassoon. Now I can help the younger girls as a mentor,” she said.
Playing in an orchestra “was a dream” for Camila, which also aided her in her “personal development.” “The maturity we gain, being on stage, visiting places. We have to take a lot of responsibility for the group and ourselves. Learning not only to play but to be a person is very rewarding,” she noted.
This marks the fourth overseas performance by the Chiquinha Gonzaga Orchestra, with their first being in Portugal in 2022. They have since also performed in Spain and Switzerland and are now “on their way to play at Carnegie Hall,” the historic venue in New York, revealed Moana Martins.
For Camila Peres, this is her first trip with the orchestra. “We feel like we have a great opportunity to be here, playing, and we can travel, see places, inside and outside Brazil. That is the best part,” she expressed.
Maria Bernardo, aged 23, has a different experience compared to Camila Peres.
The clarinetist joined the orchestra four months ago as a mentor, a role she finds “very gratifying.”
“This entire musical body being composed of women is one of the most important aspects of my life. It gives me hope to see more women playing, for me to be able to play and be in these places, travelling the world,” she stated.
Today at the NOS Alive festival, the Chamber Group performed half a dozen pieces, with two featuring the Portuguese fado singer Teresinha Landeiro.
The festival is sold out today, headlined by American star Olivia Rodrigo.
Besides Olivia Rodrigo, the main stage at NOS Alive will host performances by Mark Hambor, Benson Boone, and Noah Kahan today.
The second stage, which “has substantially increased in size” this year due to public demand, will feature Gree Leather, Bad Nerves, Artemas, Barry Can’t Swim, Glass Animals, Parov Stelar, and Nathy Peluso.
Other stages — Clubbing, Coreto, Fado Café, Comedy, and Portico — will see performances from Girls 96, Baleia Baleia Baleia, Pedro Moutinho, Diogo Clemente, Mónica Vale de Gato, Guilherme Duarte, and Shakra.
