Choropedia
Choropedia
Reference library about choro, composers, instruments, and Brazilian music language.
Álvaro Sandim
Álvaro Sandim was a Brazilian composer and trombonist from Rio de Janeiro, known for his work in carnival groups and for contributing to the development of choro music in the early 20th century. His most famous piece is 'Flor do Abacate,' a classic in the traditional repertoire.
Canhoto da Paraíba
Canhoto da Paraíba was a Brazilian guitarist and composer, an icon of choro and northeastern instrumental music. Renowned for his inverted guitar technique, he developed a unique language that impressed masters such as Jacob do Bandolim and Pixinguinha.
Henrique Alves de Mesquita
Henrique Alves de Mesquita (1830-1906) was a composer, conductor, and teacher, central to the formation of Brazilian urban music. His work connects musical theater, Afro-Brazilian dances, and the origins of choro.
Sátiro Bilhar
Sátiro Bilhar (1860-1926) was a Brazilian guitarist and composer pivotal to the development of choro in Rio de Janeiro. He gained fame for his ability to vary songs while playing and is the author of the classic "Tira Poeira."
Albertino Inácio Pimentel
Albertino Inácio Pimentel, also known as Carramona, was a prominent trumpeter, composer, and conductor in Rio de Janeiro. His body of work includes over seventy pieces, and his historical significance is being re-evaluated in projects like 'Princípios do Choro.'
Dilermando Reis
Dilermando Reis was a guitarist, composer, and teacher who left a significant mark on Brazilian guitar in the 20th century. He was active in radio and recordings, promoting the instrument as a soloist.
Carolina Cardoso de Menezes
Carolina Cardoso de Menezes was a notable Brazilian pianist, composer, and arranger, particularly in choro and samba. Over her seven-decade career, she made significant contributions to Brazilian music.
Djalma de Andrade (Bola Sete)
Bola Sete (1923-1987) was a Brazilian guitarist known for his contributions to choro, samba, and jazz. This entry details his biography, works, and selected discography.
Antenógenes Silva
Antenógenes Silva was a significant Brazilian accordionist and composer during the radio era. His works have greatly influenced Brazilian instrumental music.
Armandinho
Armandinho (Armando da Costa Macedo) is a Brazilian musician from Bahia recognized for his skills on the guitarra baiana and bandolim. He was part of the Trio Elétrico de Dodô e Osmar and a founding member of the group A Cor do Som.
Dante Santoro
Dante Italino Santoro was a distinguished flutist and composer, connecting the musical traditions of Rio Grande do Sul with Rio de Janeiro's radio scene.
Avena de Castro
Avena de Castro was a Brazilian citarist and composer who adapted the cithara to choro, samba, and waltz. He played a crucial role in Brasília's music scene as the first president of the city's Clube do Choro.
Paulo Aragão
Paulo Aragão is a Brazilian guitarist, composer, and researcher based in Rio de Janeiro. He founded the Quarteto Maogani and is known for revitalizing Pixinguinha's work.
What is Choro?
Choro, or chorinho, is Brazil's first urban musical expression, emerging around 1870 in Rio de Janeiro. It encompasses a unique playing style, a musician ensemble, and a structured musical genre.
Nelson dos Santos Alves
Nelson dos Santos Alves (1895–1960) was a prominent Brazilian cavaquinho player and composer. He was a member of Oito Batutas and played a significant role in the choro genre.
Cândido Pereira da Silva
Cândido Pereira da Silva, known as Candinho Trombone, was a crucial trombonist and composer in the choro genre. He authored over 475 compositions and preserved works by masters like Pixinguinha.
Alexandre Gonçalves Pinto (The 'Animal')
Alexandre Gonçalves Pinto, known as Animal, was a singer, cavaquinho player, and postman. He published 'O Choro' in 1936, which profiles around 400 figures from Rio de Janeiro's choro scene.
João Lyra
João Lyra is a Brazilian guitarist, composer, and arranger, central to the renewal of choro from northeastern traditions. He contributed to over a thousand recordings.
Meira
Meira, born Jayme Thomás Florence, was a pivotal guitarist and composer in the choro genre. He collaborated closely with Dino Sete Cordas and mentored many musicians, including Baden Powell and Raphael Rabello.
Raphael Rabello
Raphael Rabello (1962–1995) was a prominent Brazilian guitarist, composer, and arranger. He transformed the seven-string guitar into a solo instrument, leaving a significant mark on Brazilian instrumental music.
Brazilian Tango: A Foundation of Choro
The 19th century Brazilian tango significantly influenced choro music. This article explores its rhythmic language, bass ostinatos, and interpretive rubato.
Acari Records, the first Brazilian label specialized in choro
Acari Records is Brazil's first record label focused on choro, founded by Luciana Rabello and Maurício Carrilho. Since 2000, it plays a crucial role in the genre's institutionalization.
Altamiro Carrilho
Altamiro Carrilho was one of the greatest flutists in Brazilian choro, celebrated for his virtuosity and compositions. He formed the Bandinha de Altamiro Carrilho and recorded the hit "Rio Antigo."
Viriato Figueira da Silva
Viriato Figueira da Silva (c. 1851–1883) was a flutist and composer in the first generation of choro. His work, including the polka 'Só para Moer', remains part of the choro repertoire.
First Generation: The Birth of Choro
The first generation of choro includes musicians like Callado, Chiquinha Gonzaga, and Ernesto Nazareth, who shaped the genre in 19th century Rio. This entry discusses their historical formation and musical characteristics.
Dino 7 Cordas
Horondino José da Silva, known as Dino 7 Cordas, was a pivotal guitarist in Brazilian music. His innovative use of the seven-string guitar influenced choro and samba profoundly.
Aunt Amélia: The Pianist and Composer from Pernambuco
Aunt Amélia (1897–1983) was a Brazilian pianist and composer from Pernambuco. Her works, characterized by waltzes and choros, connect with the traditions of Ernesto Nazareth and Chiquinha Gonzaga.
Maurício Carrilho
Maurício Carrilho is a guitarist, composer, and educator known for his role in the preservation and renewal of contemporary choro. Born in 1957 in Rio de Janeiro, he has made significant contributions to Brazilian music.
Bonfiglio de Oliveira
Bonfiglio de Oliveira (1894-1940) was a Brazilian trumpeter, bassist, and composer who played a crucial role in the Rio de Janeiro choro scene. He was a member of notable groups and left behind important works.
Joaquim Antonio Callado
Joaquim Antonio Callado was a Brazilian flautist and composer, recognized as a founder of the choro genre. His innovative ensemble and compositions left a lasting impact on Brazilian music.
Chiquinha Gonzaga
Chiquinha Gonzaga was a Brazilian composer, pianist, and conductor, a pioneer in choro and the first woman to perform professionally among chorões. Her body of work includes over 250 compositions and notable pieces like 'Ó Abre Alas' and 'Corta-Jaca'.
Donga: Composer, Guitarist, and Central Figure of Samba and Choro
Donga was a fundamental composer and guitarist in Brazilian popular music, especially in samba and choro. He is known for 'Pelo Telefone', the first recorded samba, and for being part of groups such as Oito Batutas and the Orquestra Típica Pixinguinha-Donga.
Seven-String Guitar in Choro: Function, Language, and History
The seven-string guitar is essential in choro music, providing bass lines, counterpoint, and guiding the rhythm. This article explores its role and history.
Radamés Gnattali
Radamés Gnattali was a composer, arranger, and pianist who revolutionized Brazilian music by blending classical sophistication with the richness of choro and samba. This article explores his biography, musical style, significant works like the Suíte Retratos, and his lasting legacy.
João Pernambuco
João Pernambuco was a guitarist and composer who linked northeastern musical traditions to Rio's choro in the early 20th century. His solo guitar works, including classics like Sons de Carrilhões, are essential to the Brazilian repertoire.
Subgenres of Choro
Choro emerged as a Brazilian urban language incorporating genres such as polka, maxixe, waltz, and schottisch. This entry explores these rhythmic and stylistic matrices.
Benedito Lacerda
Benedito Lacerda (1903-1958) was a flutist, composer, and bandleader, a central figure in the history of choro and Brazilian popular music. He authored around 700 songs, and his regional ensemble became a benchmark for accompaniment in the Radio Era.
Hermínio Bello de Carvalho
Hermínio Bello de Carvalho (1935) is a central figure in Brazilian music culture, known for his work as a poet, lyricist, and cultural producer. He collaborated with notable artists such as Pixinguinha and Jacob do Bandolim.
Abel Ferreira
Abel Ferreira was a central figure in choro during the 20th century. Known for his clarinet and saxophone work, he composed over fifty pieces, including the famous 'Chorando Baixinho.'
Jacob do Bandolim
Jacob do Bandolim (1918-1969) was a central figure in choro music, known for elevating the mandolin to new technical and expressive heights. His work is characterized by precise tuning, clean phrasing, and ensemble refinement, establishing enduring repertoires and interpretative standards.
Garoto
Aníbal Augusto Sardinha, known as Garoto, was one of the most original musicians of 20th-century Brazilian music. He is considered the creator of modern Brazilian guitar.
The History of Choro
Choro originated in 19th century Rio de Janeiro, evolving into a unique musical genre. Key figures include Joaquim Callado, Pixinguinha, and Jacob do Bandolim.
Raul de Barros
Raul de Barros was a fundamental Brazilian trombonist, composer, and conductor in the history of choro. His most famous work is the choro Na Glória, recorded in 1949.
Six-String Guitar in Choro
The six-string guitar plays a crucial role in choro music, serving harmonic, rhythmic, and contrapuntal functions. This article explains its four fundamental skills and relationship with the seven-string guitar.
K-Ximbinho
K-Ximbinho was a clarinetist, saxophonist, composer, and arranger who revitalized Brazilian choro by incorporating jazz and urban orchestra elements. His works, such as Sonoroso and Catita, are key references in the genre.
Zequinha de Abreu
Zequinha de Abreu was a Brazilian composer, instrumentalist, and conductor recognized for his work in choro music. He is best known for 'Tico-tico no Fubá' and has an extensive catalog that includes various genres.
Waldir Azevedo
Waldir Azevedo was a pivotal cavaquinho player and composer in Brazilian instrumental music, known for hits like Brasileirinho and Delicado. He transformed the cavaquinho from an accompanying instrument into a prominent solo voice, solidifying its repertoire for choro.
Ernesto Nazareth
Ernesto Nazareth (1863–1934) was a composer who brought carioca syncopation to concert piano. His tangos and waltzes remain essential to the repertoire of Brazilian choro.
Key Figures of Choro
This entry presents the key figures of choro organized by generations, from 19th-century pioneers to contemporary musicians. It includes essential composers, instrumentalists, and arrangers who shaped and renewed the genre.
Anacleto de Medeiros
Anacleto de Medeiros was a Brazilian composer, conductor, and musician essential for the development of choro and urban popular music in Rio de Janeiro. He organized the Rio de Janeiro Fire Department Band and participated in Brazil's first phonographic recordings, leaving a legacy that connects brass band traditions with the language of choro musicians.
Luciana Rabello
Luciana Rabello is a prominent Brazilian cavaquinist recognized for her influence on the choro genre. A self-taught musician, she has made significant contributions as a performer, educator, and producer.
The Structure of Choro
The structure of choro consists of three sections (A, B, C) of 16 measures each. Section A returns in patterns like AABBACCA, serving as a thematic core.
Pixinguinha
Pixinguinha, a seminal figure in Brazilian choro, was a composer, arranger, and musician who transformed the genre. His works, including 'Carinhoso' and 'Ingênuo', remain vital to Brazilian music.
Every entry is connected to practical reading and course pages so reference content becomes part of a wider learning journey.
Choro Jam Sessions
Where to find choro jam sessions
A collaborative directory of choro jam sessions across Brazil and abroad — day, time, venue and Instagram for each one.
Open the directory →