UB Choro Ensemble

Choro is a dynamic, living instrumental music tradition that began in late 1800s Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, with Afro-Brazilian reinterpretations of European salon music. What began as a regional style has since become a global genre (played in almost every major city around the world) with its own composers that has continued to evolve with each new generation into the 21st century. A few of the most prominent composer-performers include Ernesto Nazaré (piano), Pixinguinha (flute/sax), Jacob do Bandolim (bandolim), and Waldir Azevedo (cavaquinho).

UB Choro in concert, December 9, 2023.

UB Choro in concert, May 4, 2023.

Choro is a music fundamentally predicated on play, on musical mischief. It can be syncopated, contrapuntal, virtuosic, romantic, harmonically rich, and sometimes very, very fast.

UB Choro guides students in the performance, theory, and cultural context of Brazilian choro music, always emphasizing the music’s playful but studious attitude.

Registration

To formally join UB Choro,

  • Undergraduates must register for MUS340LAB, Section GUE
  • and Graduates MUS540LAB, Section GUE.

Audition/Expectations

No audition is held.

Students are expected to be able to read standard notation, syncopations, and chord charts (for harmony instruments).

Contact

Please direct all questions to Prof. Stephen Guerra, sguerra2@buffalo.edu.

Performances

UB Choro began in Spring 2023 and performed in:

  • UB Chamber Music concert, May 4, 2023
  • UB Twilight Festival concert, May 6, 2023

UB Choro members are also invited to participate in all events with the Buffalo Choro Project, a community-based collective learning and playing choro in Buffalo, NY.