Choropedia
Choropedia
Reference library about choro, composers, instruments, and Brazilian music language.
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.
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.
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 →