The workshops are aimed at all musicians, beginners or advanced, professionals or amateurs. Everyone can find their place in the Choro practice.
By being organised in different levels, the workshops are adapted to the profiles and talents of the people present.
For beginners, it starts by the discovery of the main bases of Choro:
- The rhythmic patterns used in Choro are broken down and analysed by all participants with the help of percussion instruments or exercises of body percussion.
- The structure of the songs are studied (rondo form), as well as the tonality changes that reocurr between different parts and the levadas to start each solo…
- The work on these subtleties contributes to highlight the group’s dynamic by focusing on how each musician tells their own story by the choices of their interpretation.
- The accompaniment is also studied through the work of the typical figures, as well as the harmonies.
- The pratice is split between the study of sheet music and listening to recordings, which allows the participants to progress without necessarily mastering sight reading.
- No need to be a virtuoso, whatever instrument or level of mastering, everyone can participate on their own level towards the construction of this musical journey.
To the more advanced, the objective of the workshops is to show the technique and language of Choro:
- The improvisation is quite specific in Choro. It is done by variations on top of the theme. It can also be complemented by the proposal of countermelodies made by other musicians. It is expressed by a game of questions and answers, of different nuances.
- The participants start by studying the melody and the harmony of the theme with precision, so they can improvise variations that match the identify of the song.
- For this purpose, a pallete of musical processes are proposed, such as rhythmic shifts, repetitions, references, parallel voices, oppositions, changes on the rhythmic cells…
- The different accompanying instruments learn to enrich the harmony by adapting the chord inversions, adding passing chords or substitution.
Instrument practice is the base for the workshops. The theoretical principles introduced, and the reference recordings listened to, are brought to enrich the musical palette or to answer to specific questions brought by the participants.
When are the workhops held?
Saturdays except school holidays
Level 1 (rhythmic, harmonic and melodic bases of Choro) 10am-11.30am.
Level 2 (group practice workshop: development of a repertoire, work on group playing: accompaniment, baixarias, counter-melody) 11.30am-1pm.
Where?
At the Pianofabriek, rue du Fort 35, 1060 Saint Gilles, Brazzaville room (1st floor).
How much does it cost?
With the aim of remaining accessible to as many people as possible, we are offering the workshops at €12 for one workshop and €22 for 2 workshops. Reduced rates for students, jobseekers and under-16s: €9/workshop, €16/2 workshops.
If the price is an obstacle for you, do not hesitate to talk to us, we will always find a solution!