The origins of Ideal:
As a life-long professional cellist, I've worked and played in many styles. A light went on for me when I discovered Brazilian choro music, where my greatest loves seemed to come together. These include (but are not limited to) chamber music, grooves, improvisation, dancing, humor and friendship.
A natural progression
I started composing choro about two years ago. I had already been in musical interactions and dialogue with both traditionalists and experimentalists in choro. I find the style is very tolerant of outside influences, which I believe is the characteristic that allows it to evolve and still be a vital part of the cultural life (musicians and listeners) in Brazil today. It's also gaining international popularity; I've recently seen a surge in choro clubs around the world. Some of my compositions are a tribute to the roots of choro (eg: polkas and waltzes) and some are hybrids with other styles (eg: folkloric maracatú rhythms, jazz harmony)
What I need to complete Ideal
Many musicians contributed their artistry and talent to the recordings, and there is still recording to do. The studio I've been working in is one of Rio de Janeiro's most sought-after for choro recordings, with great sound and equipment, and we've been in there for days already! Once all the recording is finished, the next step is to master and mix the music. And I'm working on some really beautiful artwork for the physical CD. It adds up to quite a bit more than I'm asking for here, and so every contribution will help!
Positive influences
There is a scarcity of female composers and instrumentalists in choro, and in Brazilian music in general. One of the musicians I hired to play on the record confided to me afterwards that she had been inspired by me to start working on a record of her own. That started me thinking about how—if this project garners visibility—it could serve as a role model to women and girls considering a path in music, especially one like mine without many/any historical precedents. One such woman was pianist and composer Francisca Edwige Neves "Chiquinha" Gonzaga (1847-1935), who—when forced to choose—walked away from her upper middle-class marriage to devote herself to music and activism for abolition of slavery and for women's rights. An amazingly bold move for a society lady in the 19th century! I wrote a tribute piece to her (A Boa Filha Partiú), and with deep respect and humility I hope to help vitalize the creative seeds she planted, in the minds and hearts of young women musicians today.
Feel good / Fique numa boa
The principle of feeling good—and making sure that people around you are feeling good—in an otherwise chaotic world, is fundamental to Brazilian life. I can't think of any better way to achieve this than through music. I hope you will listen, fall in love, cry, dance, and let this music take you places, and you'll share it with all the people you want to feel good too.
I would like to thank all of my Brazilian musical family and friends who appear in my video and the photos in this campaign. Um forte abraço! Catherine