a magnífica orchestra de músicas do mundo

https://www.instagram.com/amagnificaorchestra

a wonderful group of pro and amateur musicians studying and performing world music, led by gabriel levy and rita braga in são paulo. i was very fortunate to be part of it in the second semester of 2024.

the maestro, gabriel levy is a prolific musician, educator and researcher, associated with several other world music projects: mawaca, yaman trio, mutrib, traditional japanese ensembles, and tangential relationships with such as: música do círculo, orquestra mundana refugi and more. rita, the group's vocal trainer, is also a part of mawaca.

the shows are truly spectacles (50+ musicians), involving traditional dances and the invitation to listen with open ears to what might be outside of our understanding of mainstream music (and even the genre of folk music itself). as in gabriel's words: "if you can't help, get in the way! what's important is to get involved." :)

it emphasizes the ancestral songs of resistance and love from refugees, indigenous peoples and other groups that have been systemically persecuted with the rise and dominance of modernity.

resources:

a 30-min documentary (portuguese with english subs): a magnífica orchestra's doc.

a few of the songs are available on the orchestra's youtube channel, but if you're like me and want to check out a full show to get a feel for it, one of the participants, lauri, records some of them (though not in the highest-quality audio possible, check out his playlists). i participated in this presentation on the 1st of december, right before my birthday. :)

the conductor's masters' thesis (in portuguese), also accounts his experience with the orchestra and introduces several reflections on themes such as identity, authenticity, decolonialism, interculturality and music education: world music in educational processes.