ChoroCamp

ChoroCamp

[Back to CCNE 2025 Schedule]

Special Topics 2025

Special Topic classes will meet the Tuesday through Friday of Camp. Most will meet from 4 – 5:30, but there are exceptions:  “Intro to Pandeiro” and “Creating Counterpoint in Choro” class will meet from 9 – 9:45 am. During that morning hour we also hope to be able to offer an introduction to the lyrics of the sambas we’ll be singing in our Friday night Roda de Samba. We’re looking for fluent Portuguese speakers who’d be willing to provide that service on one or two mornings for us.

So please note whether the class is scheduled to meet in the morning or afternoon.  Here are the topics, followed by a more detailed description of each further down the page:

Morning Special Topics, 9 – 9:45 

  • Intro to Pandeiro — Abel Borges and Natália Mitre 
  • Creating Counterpoint in Choro — Lucas Telles 
  • Lyrics/vocals for Friday’s Roda de Samba 

Afternoon Special Topics, 4 – 5:30

  • Melodic Interpretation in Choro — Luiza Mitre
  • Choro Composition (Friday Only) — Lucas Ladeia
  • Contemporary Women Composers — Catherine Bent and Daniela Spielmann
  • Practice for Evening Rodas — Fernando Brandão
  • Roda de Samba — Lucas Telles, Lucas Ladeia, Abel Borges, Natalia Mitre
  • Improvisation in Brazilian Music — Fábio Peron
  • Afro-Sambas of Pixinguinha and João da Baiana — Alessandro Penezzi

Creating Counterpoint in Choro

Lucas Telles
9 – 9:45 am
Location TBA

In this workshop we’ll develop our listening skills and apply what we hear to the creation of counterpoint ( “contracantos“, in Portuguese) within the language of Choro by learning and practicing small melodic phrases of one to two bars. Based on these musical cells, participants will explore how these phrases relate to harmony and how they can be reapplied in different musical contexts.

Our aim is to provide participants with a basic vocabulary that can be used to create spontaneous counter-melodies in Choro rodas, arrangements or improvisations. The workshop emphasizes creative reuse: any phrase learned – from songs, solos or interactions with other musicians – can provide the raw materials for new counter-melodies.

There are no prerequisites for this workshop, but a basic knowledge of harmony, some skill on the instrument and reading music will make it easier to understand and enjoy the content.

Intro to Pandeiro 

Abel Borges and Natália Mitre
9 – 9:45 AM
Location TBA

This class is intended for players of other instruments who would like to learn the basics of playing pandeiro. Especially here in North America you are likely to encounter many an occasion that calls for a pinch pandeiro player.  Wouldn’t it be nice to be able to step into that role?  Join Abel and Natália for any or all of these morning sessions to literally try your hand at this iconic Brazilian instrument so central to choro and other genres of Brazilian music. 

Melodic Interpretation in Choro

Luiza Mitre
4 – 5:30
Location TBA

The freedom and expressiveness of melodic interpretation in Choro are essential characteristics of the style and provide the foundation of idiomatic improvisation in this musical language. This hands-on class is intended for melodists — wind, piano, accordion, mandolin, cavaquinho or guitar soloists. We’ll work on the characteristics of melodic interpretation in Choro, looking for the traditional “chorão” style of playing. Topics to include: melodic ornamentation, changes in the rhythm of the melody, addition and omission of notes, and melodic variation. We’ll learn, then practice applying them to selected Core Repertoire.

The full content of this workshop will be covered over two days (Tuesday and Wednesday / Thursday and Friday)

Choro Composition

Lucas Ladeia
4 – 5:30 — Friday Only!
Location TBA

In this “practicum” we’ll explore the elements of structure, harmony and melody in the context of choro so as to provide participants with the motivation and tools to develop your own choro compositions. Friday only!

Contemporary Women Composers

Catherine Bent and Daniela Spielmann
4 – 5:30
Location TBA

Women have been, and continue to be, sorely under-represented in the history and contemporary practice of choro, both as composers and instrumentalists. In this workshop Cat and Dani will work with you on four choros by women composers — all of whom are living, and three of whom are living among us right here at Choro Camp! Together, we will use these varied compositions as a lens to zoom in on aspects of choro including interpretation, accompaniment styles, improvisation, counterpoint, harmony and memorization. We encourage you to then take these delicious choros back to your local roda. Righting an historic wrong has never been so fun or satisfying!  
 
[Charts will be available in early May]

Practice for Evening Rodas

Fernando Brandão
[Time TBA]
[Location TBA]

Tuesday through Friday, from 7:30 to 9, campers will have the option of  joining one of the rodas for which we have suggested repertoire. During this Special Topic session, Fernando will facilitate playing through selected repertoire of two of those rodas so you can be ready to participate:

  • On Tuesday and Thursday he’ll focus on repertoire for the “Choro Camp Favorites” roda.
  • On Wednesday and Friday he’ll select repertoire for the “Choro Classics” roda.

You’ll find more information about the evening rodas, including charts for the recommended repertoire, on this section of the REPERTOIRE page.

Roda de Samba 

Lucas Telles, Lucas Ladeia, Abel Borges, Natalia Mitre
[Time(s) TBA]
[Location TBA]

It has fast become a CCNE tradition to enjoy a roda de samba on Friday night. This workshop is designed to help you get ready to participate in that roda, on guitar, cavaquinho, percussion and — last but certainly not least — by singing your heart out.  The current plan (always subject to change) is to focus our study on the first 8 songs you see listed below—two songs per day. The other 8 songs will be “on deck” for possible inclusion in the roda, as will be the tunes that Alessandro Penezzi plans to cover in his Special topic class on Afro Sambas of Pixinguinha and João da Baiana (below).

Tunes we’ll cover in class:

1. Vivo isolado do mundo (Alcides Malandro Histórico)  Other versions: Candeia
2. Samba pras moças (Roque Ferreira e Grazielle)
3. Embala eu (Albaléria)
4. Sonho Meu (Dona Ivone Lara)  Other versions: Maria Bethânia E Gal Costa
5. Timoneiro (Paulinho Da Viola)
6. Volta meu amor (Manacea)
7. Alvorada (Cartola)
8. Exaltacao a mangueira (Aloisio Augusto Da Costa / Enéas Brittes da Silva)
 
Additional possibilities for the roda
 
9. No pagode do vavá (Paulinho Da Viola)
10. Cada macaco no seu galho (Riachão)
11. Moro na roça (Xangô Da Mangueira / Jorge Zagaia)
12. O mundo e assim (Alvaiade)
13. Mineiro, mineiro (Xangô da Mangueira)
14. Marinheiro só (Traditional)
15. Cocoroco (Paulo da Portela)
16. Pranto de poeta (Nelson Cavaquinho / Guilherme De Brito)

Lead sheets and lyrics will be provided here by early May. 

Improvisation in Brazilian Music

Fábio Peron 
4 – 5:30 
Location TBA

Fábio invites you to come work on characteristically Brazilian melodic and rhythmic motifs, as exemplified by specific repertoire. The class will also cover harmonic cadences common to choro and related Brazilian musical styles. While you are welcome to attend for only a day, this workshop’s material will be covered in full over the course of two days: Tuesday/Wednesday and again Thursday/Friday.

Afro-Sambas of Pixinguinha and João da Baiana

Alessandro Penezzi
4:5:30
[Location TBA]

The critic and historian Ary Vasconcelos wrote: If you have 15 volumes to talk about all Brazilian popular music, be assured that it is too little, but if you only have space for one word, all is not lost; quickly write, “Pixinguinha”.

In this series of lessons, Alessandro Penezzi will focus on a part of Pixinguinha’s work that is little known, especially in North America: his Afro-Sambas. Participants will study two compositions by Pixinguinha and two by João da Baiana, Pixinguinha’s childhood friend and lifelong musical companion. 

Lyric/chord sheets to be provided in early May.