The first CMBV music week took place in Rio in the autumn of 2015. The venture was co-organised by UNIRIO university baroque orchestra (founded and conducted by flautist Laura Ronaï), in order to introduce French baroque music to Brazilian musicians and audiences, and to offer conferences, courses and masterclasses to students keen to further their knowledge of baroque music.
The orchestra welcomes everyone, regardless of age or academic qualifications, and is a good reflection of the richness and diversity of Brazilian society. An outreach bursary scheme also offers youngsters from the favelas the opportunity to join. With the addition of a choir and solo singers a wide repertoire can be put on offer.
Every year, two or three concerts are performed in the magnificent Sala Cecilia Meireles (project partners) by about fifty students and several professional musicians from all over Brazil. The orchestra was first conducted by Bruno Procopio (2015), then by Stéphanie-Marie Degand (2016 - 2017), followed by Mira Glodeanu (2018 - 2019). It has performed works by Lully, Rameau, Campra, Leclair, Mouret, Corrette, Boismortier, Colin de Blamont, Clérambault, Montéclair, Dauvergne, etc., with solo sopranos Eugénie Lefebvre and Katia Velletaz, gambist François Joubert-Caillet, violinists Stéphanie-Marie Degand and Mira Glodeanu, harpsichordist Bruno Procopio and fortepianist Natalia Valentin.
In 2019, a further series of conferences, concerts and masterclasses has been co-organised by the Alliance Française in Rio.
Every year the CMBV also offers a student musician from the orchestra several months of coaching and cultural grounding in France at the CMBV, to learn more and explore other aspects of a career in music, via contact with world class teachers and baroque musicians.
To allow Brazilian students to work on French baroque repertoire throughout the year, the CMBV has donated a complete set of its sheet music to UNIRIO university library.
The French Institute has been an active partner since collaboration started in 2015.
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For the fifth year running, the Centre de musique baroque de Versailles is running a teaching programme in Brazil. Its week of baroque music in Rio has become a major event in South America. The [...]
