Brazil Day 13 - Concert in Campina Grande

This morning and forenoon we had no program, so everyone spent their time

differently. Matteo organized a football tournament, which many participated in, while others went

to the nearby shopping center or rested.

At 2 PM we set off for the MAC - Museu de Arte e Ciência, an art and

science museum run by students. There we started the tour with

an exhibition of a local artist, whose works are inspired by marine life and beautiful

memories from the coast of Rio. It combines art, technology, and prints

from woodcut and linocut techniques. Since every visitor has the chance to fold a paper boat,

the exhibition continually grows, and we added our part as they adorned the

artworks.

Next, we proceeded to the second part of the museum, which is about Cordels. These are small

booklets or poetry volumes. The term comes from the strings or lines

(cordel) on which the booklets were hung for sale at markets, with covers

traditionally designed with woodcuts. The tradition traces back to European street singers

and was brought to Brazil by Portuguese colonists. In the past, the songs and poems recorded

within were a primary means of conveying news,

stories, and culture. The verses were often recited or sung by traveling singers at markets

or squares and dealt with folk heroes, legends, religious themes

and everyday life. Each of us was also allowed to choose a Cordel as a keepsake

to take home.

After a short break, we sang at the museum entrance “Locus iste,” “Lift me up,” “The

Lord bless you and keep you” and “Hlonolofatsa,” which received great

applause from the museum staff.

Then we moved on to the Mosteiro das Irmãs Clarissas, a convent in the heart of Campina

Grande. There, we warmed up with the Coro de Câmara de Campina Grande after a brief

rehearsal and prepared for the concert.

Just before the start, we got the information that both a local and a national

TV channel were present, so we began the concert a bit earlier and

sang “The Lord bless you and keep you” for the television segments. We continued the concert with

solely sacred pieces before the other choir joined for the collaborative pieces. Especially

“Dark Night of the Soul” thrilled the audience, and “Kia Hora” provided a

lively conclusion.

After the concert, we went to a restaurant where we had dinner together with the other choir members.