Music education in Niteroi is growing and gaining diversity

At Icarai, Tathilândia Creche e Escola has worked with music as a distinctive feature since its inception in 1998, and now, after expansion, it has been strengthened. The founder and director of the foundation, Tatiana Harduim, explains that music is the language of learning in all areas of child development. She says that from nursery, all classes have weekly music lessons built into the curriculum, helping children understand the world through mathematics through rhythm, language through song and emotions through sound.

Children don’t learn just by listening. She learns by feeling. Learn by doing. Learn by creating. Music allows all this in a harmonious and natural way. Every square meter is designed so that children can explore their curiosities with their whole body, and music is an essential part of this process – adds Tatiana, when talking about the new unit, with access from Rua Paulo Gustavo.

In São Domingos, the Geraldo Reyes University College (Coluni-UFF), which has full-time students from kindergarten through the third year of high school, has a project in Siranda with a musical window into the country’s culture.

Based on anti-racist education based on playful and pedagogical practices, the Interdisciplinary Team Initiative invites children to build knowledge, values, attitudes and stances aimed at recognizing, appreciating and respecting multiracialism and racism. The rich voice of Jongo, Caboclinhos, Seranda, Marcato and Caval Marinho sets the tone for the proposal.

– After starting last year, with raising pedagogical guidelines that brought in important black Brazilian references, as well as experiments assessing features, skin color and hair types, this year the project celebrates the diversity of Brazilian cultural manifestations – says social worker Lilia Candela, who developed the initiative at the school with psychologist Juliana Gouveia.

The Music Apprentice Program has been developed by the City Council since 2001, and is offered by the municipality as the largest public school music education program in the country. Today, ten thousand students from municipal schools, out of 11 thousand members of the project, are participating in the activities. In addition to classes, musicians and singers give performances, as in the recent participation in Christmas carols, in the opening of the Natal Estrelado de Niterói, by choirs and Camerata de Cordas do Aprendiz.

The final edition of Casa Aprendiz de Portas Abertas will take place next Tuesday, at 6pm, at the headquarters of Rua Antônio Silva 42, in Fonseca. It’s an opportunity to discover the talents of the String Camerata Ensemble and the Apprentice Youth Choir, with free entry.

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As a result of the partnership between the municipal administrations of creative economy, strategic actions and education, the management of Aprendiz Musical reports that it seeks to offer a diverse social and cultural experience, broadening the horizons of children and young people.

This is the same goal as the Orchestra da Grotta, which was born in Niteroi and is now reaching other cities and celebrating 30 years of activities. On the 23rd, a show celebrating the date was held at the Teatro Municipal, in a three-hour show, with the participation of 60 musicians.

Everyone participated in the social project, in San Francisco, in lessons on recorders, violin, viola, cello, double bass, woodwinds, electric instruments, drums, percussion, singing and arranging. Today, the project comes to fruition as the Conjunto de Flutas da Grota, the Grupo Som Doce da Grota, and the Orquestra da Grota.

Ponto de Cultura, Espaço Culture da Grota has a music workshop that is also open to people outside the project. Music students and teachers from other social projects and from public and private schools can participate.

At the Henrique Lage State Technical School (ETEHL/Faetec), in Barreto, a Cirandeando com o Cacique workshop, open to the public, successfully taught samba using the pambas from the Cacique de Ramos massif and the Fundo de Quintal collection as references. Meetings are held on Mondays at 6pm until the end of January.

Residents of the Teniente Jardim neighborhood, cousins ​​Cayo Jorge Oliveira and Joa Gabriel Pereira, 15, go looking for cavaquinho lessons in the project. They say they already know how to play percussion instruments, such as the tambourine, but they also want to play the cavaco, and are looking for new possibilities in samba circles.

The teachers of Cirandeando com o Cacique are the musicians from Grupo Ciranda: Rodrigo Jesus (tambourine), Dinho Rosa (repique and surdo), Rodrigo Reis (tantan), Leandro Saramago (guitar), with guests Bebeto Sorriso (tamborim) and Daniel Scisinio (cavaco).

– We welcome people with or without experience, but with a lot of desire to learn and curiosity about the importance of cacique de ramos and fondue de quintal in the history of Brazilian music – says Rodrigo Jesus.

In Vital Brazil, Clube Livre de Arte e Cultura (CLAC) also offers music education for all ages, from 6 months onwards. The special unit offers music lessons, percussion workshops, music specialties and instruments, as well as a singing laboratory and guidance for those who want to play an instrument before the carnival arrives.

*This article was published on November 30 in the special magazine GLOBO-Niterói Education