VARIOUS BRAZILIAN MUSIC COURSES IN RIO OR FLORIANOPOLIS

LOCATION: Rio de Janeiro or Florianópolis

Music is part of the Brazilian soul! What could make for a more perfect setting in which to while away the hours spending time developing your love & understanding of music? In Brazil rhythm flows through each and every conversation, ebbing its way down into the way the people walk, and in the way they live their lives day-by-day. Music in Brazil is everywhere – it can be found in a complex rhythmic pattern beaten out by an old man with his fingers on a cafe table, or, rolling down in the thundering beat of samba echoing from the hills around Rio in the months leading up to Carnival.

In Rio, you can learn from a master of music who has featured in a film which was shown at Cannes Film Festival 2008.

Music is a passport to happiness for Brazilians, an escape from everyday frustrations and (for most) a hard and difficult material life. "There's an amazing magical, mystical quality to Brazilian music. Their music is paradise," says jazz flutist Herbie Mann.

Course Location: Your music placement can be based in the cultural melting pot Rio de Janeiro or the beach paradise of  Florianópolis - you choose!

MUSIC IN BRAZIL!
Music is part of the Brazilian soul, and rhythm is in the way people speak, in the way they walk, and in the way they play soccer. In Rio de Janeiro, after the national team has won an important soccer game, fireworks explode in the sky and samba detonates in the streets.

On sidewalks and in city squares, the celebration begins. Impromptu percussion sections appear, made up of all types of Brazilians, rich and poor, black and brown and white. As participants pick up instruments - a drum, a scraper, a shaker - an intricate, ebullient samba batucada (percussion jam) builds. Each amateur music-maker kicks in an interlocking rhythmic part to create a groove that would be the envy of most professional bands in other parts of the world. The singing and dancing inevitably go on for hours.

Over the course of the last five centuries, Portuguese, African, and - to a lesser extent - Amerindian rhythms, dances, and harmonies have been mixing together, altering old styles and creating new forms of music.

Most Brazilian music shares three outstanding qualities:
It has an intense lyricism tied to its Portuguese heritage that often makes for beautiful, highly expressive melodies, enhanced by the fact that Portuguese is one of the most musical tongues on the earth and no small gift to the ballad singer. Second, a high level of poetry is present in the lyrics of much Brazilian popular music. And last, vibrant Afro-Brazilian rhythms energize most Brazilian songs, from samba to baião. By joining us on this placement, you can be a part of it with this truly magical way of living through music!

Additional Activities you can do while on this Project:
Add to your travel experience in Brazil by doing some additional exciting activities - you never know, you could develop a passion for Latin American dance, or learn a new skill!

• Capoeira: A cross between a dance, a fight skill and an art form ... fascinating and fun!

• Brazilian Music courses: Choose from a variety of local percussion/styles

• Portuguese Language Courses: Immerse yourself in the language and you'll be amazed at the effects it brings!

• Yoga Courses

• Photography courses

• Latin Dance Lessons

• Watersports, Treks and Adventure Activities

OPTIONAL ADD-ONS

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

Jahir Soares (your teacher in Rio) stars in Som E O Resto... Click above to play the video

ACCOMMODATION IN RIO DE JANEIRO:
Accommodation is situated in the Flamengo region of Rio - just a hop, skip and a jump away from famous Copacabana beach! This is a great place to be as you will be only 3 minutes away from the metro station, opposite the Catete Palace and you will be able to visit Sugar Loaf Mountain and the Christ the Redeemer statue with great ease.

You will be staying in a dorm room in a brand new hostel which has been set up by an artist with a wish to create a hostel that is different to anything else in Rio. Set in a beautiful redeveloped building from the end of the 19th century, you will be surrounded by wonderful Brazilian art, dipping you straight into the culture from the first minute you arrive! With over 110 beds, some decorated with an “art” theme you will be sure to meet like-minded travellers, other volunteers and artists from all over the world! The hostel currently has internet and WiFi, a common area, TV room, library, book exchange, safes, a terrace area for socializing, and a housekeeping service. It also has a bike rental service. They often have popular music from Brazil with live music on occasion and a fantastically vibrant, friendly atmosphere.

If you'd like to upgrade to a double or single room, just let us know at time of booking and we can arrange it for you. There will be a small supplement for the upgrade. All rooms have their own bathroom and individual cupboard with a key for security.

Eating out is one of the highlights of living in South America, and an essential part of Brazilian culture! Because of this, the price of your placement includes your breakfast but not lunch or dinner, thus giving you the freedom to sample some of the fabulous food which Rio is famous for. Breakfast currently includes fruits and juices (try the acai – a delicious berry to sprinkle on your granola cereal), coffee, milk, bread, cheese, ham, butter, jams and sweet cakes (popular in Brazil for breakfast) amongst other things. You'll be allowed to use the kitchen facilities whenever it is not being used by the hotel staff.

The Brazilians have a passion for food. They spend long, balmy evenings dining in restaurants and al fresco in the city’s buzzing streets on fare from the traditional Feijoada (black beans and pork stew) or Mariscada (seafood stew) to modern global cuisine rivalling that of any other international city! You might also like to indulge in a caipiranha, Brazil’s traditional carnival drink made with lime and cachaça, best enjoyed in the sunshine with a churrasco, which is a Brazilian barbeque of rice, meats and – of course – salsa! The cost of eating out in Rio can vary from a just a couple of pounds up to a couple of hundred pounds! This is one city where you certainly won’t have any trouble eating well on a tight budget - there are some very inexpensive options available and you'll dine out handsomely on about £4 ($6) (estimate correct at time of writing); although you could be lucky and get away with spending even less and still be eating well. The trick is to keep your eyes peeled for the bargain eateries offering specials such as buffet lunches. Also don’t forget the supermarkets are a good option and are comparable in standard to those found back home.

Area: The hostel is located only a 15 minute-walking distance away from the Arches of ‘Lapa’, ‘Cinelandia’ and ‘Flamengo’, from where you can visit Sugar Loaf Mountains (Pao de Acucar) and the Statue of Christ, the Redeemer; only 3 minutes away from ‘Catete’ Underground station, where you can catch the train and get to ‘Copacabana’ or ‘Ipanema’ beach in less than 15 minutes. There are several banks, ATMs, supermarkets, drugstores, cinema, hotels, shops, etc., all within a couple of minutes away, which makes the area interesting and busy even in the night time! The options for entertainment are endless too; one night you can choose to watch a film at the cinema; the other you can just chill out with friends in a local bar or pub.

ACCOMMODATION IN FLORIANOPOLIS:
For a complete cultural experience in Florianópolis you will live with one of our selected host families that help Travellers to make your placement as much enjoyable as possible. All of our host families are welcoming and will provide you a very familiar environment. We believe that this is the best way to become integrated into the local culture - you'll be much more that just a “tourist” and the added benefits are that often our host families introduce you to their families and friends and they often invite our volunteers to many local events, such as football matches, cinema, a drink in a local pub in the evening after a day of work, birthday parties, family Sunday’s meals, a ride to the beach, etc.

It’s also a great opportunity to learn Portuguese in an easy and natural way.

The family you'll live with will be allocated according to the location of your project, the number of volunteers at the same time as you, any personal issues (such as if you’re allergic to pets, for example), but all our host families are near to launderettes, supermarkets, shops, banks, pharmacies, internet cafes, etc., and located in safe areas. The centre of the city is usually a 20-minute bus ride away.

You may share a room with another Travellers’ volunteer and you will get contact details of all the other volunteers who are in Florianópolis at the same time as you so you can be in touch with them.

Food:
Meals are not provided for you but you will be allowed to use the kitchen facilities to store your food and cook whatever you want. It’s common that the family members invite you to join them at meals when everyone is at home, especially at weekends. You will also receive orientation about local restaurants, many of which can be very cheap, sometimes cheaper than cooking at home.

The bathrooms are Western style and have hot water.

Art Hostel Exterior in Rio


Host Family Accommodation in Florianópolis

Accommodation bedroom in Florianópolis

You'll receive lots of care and assistance from our very friendly and helpful UK staff, from the first stage of applying all the way through to the end of your placement. We are also available 24 hours a day for any urgent matter during your time on our placement.

Travellers will send you our extremely comprehensive information pack with details on everything - ranging from where to go on your weekend travels to what to pack and extensive safety tips. We will also provide you with a selection of manuals that will be very useful on your project.

If you speak some Portuguese (or even Spanish), you will find it very beneficial on this project. But don't be put off if languages aren't your thing! You're sure to pick up some of the basic words whilst you are there, and will find other ways to converse without language becoming a barrier. Don't forget that we can also arrange some Portuguese Lessons for you during your programme if you would like.