Rio’s International Harp Festival Returns this May

By Jack Arnhold, Contributing Reporter

RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL – This May, the Centro Cultural Banco do Brasil will host around thirty-five musicians from twenty-two different countries playing over eighty concerts as it is transformed into the center of the 14th international Rio harp festival.

In collaboration with Música no Museu, the festival aims to display the relevance and versatility of an instrument that is often thought of as archaic. Throughout May, internationally renowned harpists will be performing free recitals that cover a wide range of genres and are open to everyone.

There will be concerts exploring the harp’s traditional role as an instrument of baroque music, alongside modern classical recitals. Plus, during the month, there will also be a chance to see rock and heavy metal concerts featuring harpists, jazz recitals, and shows that explore Brazilian genres such as samba and chorinho.

The festival kicked off on Wednesday, May 1st, at 3 PM, with the Orquestra de Gaitas de Foles presenting their Portuguese interpretation of the Scottish bagpipes alongside Brazilian harpist Vanja Ferreira. This was be followed by a presentation by Argentinian harpist Athy, at 6 PM.

Other highlights of the festival include the Belgian Jacques Vandelvede, who will be playing his double harp on Thursday, May 23rd, at 12:30 PM; Sunday, May 25th at 3 PM; Monday, May 26th, at 6 PM; and Wednesday, May 28th, at 2 PM. He will also be participating in a special concert on Monday, May 26th, at Copacabana Fort with Camerata do Uerê, an orchestra from Complexo da Maré.

For the special concert at Copacabana Fort, the Ecos Latinos, from New Orleans, will also be teaming up with a local community organization as they play with the Violões do Forte de Copacabana, a project developed in the favela communities around Copacabana and Ipanema.

Another highlight will be Burning Symphony, a four-piece harp heavy metal combo who will be playing covers of bands such as Iron Maiden, Black Sabbath, and Pink Floyd at CCBB on Friday, May 10th, at 3 PM; and again on Sunday, May 12th, at 1 PM. They will also be playing a special concert at Copacabana Fort on Saturday, May 11th, at 6 PM.

“It is very satisfying that Brazil is in the cultural calendar for harp artists. And, due to the success of the event, we have been expanding our operations to the cities of Lisbon and Coimbra in Portugal, Madrid in Spain, Bruges in Belgium, Grasse in France, Milan in Italy, New Orleans in the U.S. and even the Caribbean,” comments the director and creator of the festival, Sérgio da Costa e Silva.

“This is Brazil democratizing access and exporting our culture,” He concludes.

What: XIV Festival Internacional de Harpas
When: May 1st to 31st – time varies according to the concert.
Where: Centro Cultural Banco do Brasil Rio de Janeiro (CCBB RJ), Rua Primeiro de Março, 66 – Centro
Entrance: Free

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