By Beatriz Miranda, Contributing Reporter
RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL – This Monday, April 23rd, Rio celebrates the National Day of Choro, a music genre that has become a true landmark for the Carioca culture. Several free events will be held in Centro and Zona Norte, honoring the choro until the evening.
Choro is celebrated on April 23rd – which, coincidentally, is also Saint George’s Day. This is because Pixinguinha, the talented choro composer, was born on this date.
Also an instrumentalist, Pixinguinha is the author of choro’s “anthems,” “Carinhoso,” “Lamentos,” and “Um a Zero,” is one of the very founding fathers of the genre.
Known as the first typically Brazilian urban music genre, “chorinho”, how it is affectionately called, was founded in the end of the nineteenth century. Influenced both by European and African music genres, like the polka and the lundu, respectively, chorinho is also considered a special way of playing rhythms like samba, maxixe, polka, and valsa.
Officially instituted in 2000, the eighteenth National Day of Choro will promote diverse attractions in Rio’s public venues. Those looking for a fun chorinho experience should embark on the “VLT do choro”, a VLT train trip with a live show by the group, “Os Matutos.”
Departing from the Rodoviária (Rio’s bus station) at 1PM, the band will play classics by chorinho’s Greats Pixinguinha, Waldir Azevedo, Noel Rosa, Chiquinha Gonzaga, and Altamiro Carrilho. VLT do Choro’s final destination is the Tiradentes square, in Centro, where the group will perform until the early evening.
Also performing at the Praça Tiradentes square, from 2PM, will be the groups Segura o Dedo, quartet Bandolinata, sextet Maurício Carrilho, and the band, Escola Portátil de Música, one of Rio’s main choro music schools.
The Paquetá Island will also take part in the celebration with a traditional “roda de choro” at Casa das Artes de Paquetá, starting at 2PM. For those with children, it is a good idea to arrive at 12PM, when a storytelling session dedicated to chorinho will take place at the venue.
A lively tribute to Pixinguinha will also be held in Olaria, Zona Norte, Pixinguinha’s birth place. From 2PM onwards, the group, 100% Suburbano, will be in charge of the “roda de chorinho” at the Ramos Figueira square, playing the memorable compositions of Jacob do Bandolim, Pixinguinha, and Dino Sete Cordas.
In Tijuca, the Saens Peña square will host the music collective Choro na Rua, who will perform at 3:30 PM with talented the mandolinist, Hamilton de Holanda.
What: Dia Nacional do Choro (National Day of Choro)
When: this Monday, April 23rd – see events for time details.
Where: various venues
Entrance: FREE