Brazilian Ambassador, H.E. Ms. Regina Cordeiro Dunlop and violinist Ms. Suray Soren with the Brazilian Tropical violins. Photography by Tomás Sforza.
Tex and pictures by John Dunkelgrün.
In these days when darkness still comes early and most news is bad, the initiative of the Brazilian Ambassador, H.E. Ms. Regina Cordeiro Dunlop, to invite this young string ensemble, was a most welcome relief. On a rainy evening a select group of people were invited to the concert hall of the “Vreedehuis”, the house of peace, which is an anthropological cultural center in the stately Archipel area in The Hague.
The musicians, ranging in age from 9 to 34, were trained by the violinist Ms. Suray Soren in her own adaptation of the famous Japanese Suzuki method. Ms. Soren is the initiator, the leader, and the accompanying pianist of the Brazilian Tropical violins. Both the instruments they played and the music chosen were an amalgam of indigenous, African and European cultures.
They played mainly works by Brazilian composers, but were equally at home with Vivaldi and Piazolla. Most pieces were especially arranged for this ensemble. The musicians were very versatile, playing not just the violin, but an assortment of indigenous and African instruments. The two nine-year olds, Isabel Castro and João Vicente Majeski even danced.
All together it was a charming and uplifting performance that the audience rewarded with a long standing applause. Chapeau to the Brazilian embassy for this lovely idea.
