Toomai
Violin: Alex Fortes and Emilie-Anne Gendron
Viola: George Meyer
Cello: Hamilton Berry
Double Bass: Andrew Roitstein
Regional Samaúma
Fernanda Silveira: Cavaquinho
Fabio Oliveira: Percussion
Vitor Sampaio: Guitar
Grant Zilkowski: Mandolin*
*Special Guest
The Regional Samaúma, a choro and samba group based in New York, is teaming up with the award-winning Toomai String Quintet to deliver a breathtaking recital of Brazilian music. The performance will feature the works of Maurício Carrilho, a renowned figure in contemporary Brazilian choro who seamlessly blends classical music with the genre. In addition to Carrilho’s pieces, the concert will showcase a variety of beloved Brazilian compositions by Villa-Lobos, Hermeto Pascoal, Dona Ivone Lara, Ernesto Nazareth, Rossini Ferreira, Altamiro Carrilho, and Radamés Gnattali. Through their collaboration, Regional Samaúma and Toomai Quintet offer a fresh and distinctive take on Brazilian music.
The Toomai String Quintet is an ensemble devoted to playing a variety of musical traditions from around the world, creating its own string arrangements, and commissioning new works. The award-winning group has been engaging audiences across the US for over a decade, performing concerts in collaboration with presenters such as Carnegie Hall, 92nd Street Y, and The Juilliard School, among others.
Central to Toomai’s mission is the expansion of the Latin American repertoire for string ensemble. Toomai has arranged or commissioned over 20 works by Latin American composers. In 2018, Toomai released its debut album, Cuerdas Cubanas; in 2024, the group will release a new album of Brazilian music, Passos Brasileiros.
