Join us for a free workshop with Brazilian percussionist André Coelho from Rio de Janeiro. The workshop will cover some background on Brazilian rhythms and describe each of the main instruments used in batucada and rodas de samba: surdo, pandeiro, tamborim, cuíca, agogô, reco-reco, reqique de mão and repique de anel, tantam or rebolo, ganzá or chocalho, and others.

To register for the workshop, please contact us.

About André Coelho:
André Coelho is a pandeiro player and percussionist, born in Rio de Janeiro. He started with samba schools and blocos such as Carmelitas, Céu na Terra, Orquestra Voadora, Prata Preta, Tá Pirando Cacique de Ramos, and many others, playing marchinha, samba, pop, regional, and fanfarras. His passion for music also brought him to samba and choro rodas where he delved into studies of pandeiro, an instrument that dominates Brazilian rhythms. He founded Grupo Instrumental Carioca, a regional choro group that travels through instrumental Brazilian music. He was a member of groups such as Terreiro de Breque, Velhos Malandros, and Padra do Sal with singers Roberta Nistra and Beatriz Rabello, besides freelancing with various others. He has grown his knowledge of general percussion techniques and today, besides pandeiro, he also plays surdo, tantam, repique de anel, atabaque, repinique, caixa, tamborim, and other various instruments. He researches and studies diverse rhythms such as samba canção, samba de breque, partido alto, samba de roda, samba choro, sincopado, samba enredo, and its origins in African rhythms, such as maxixe, marchas, and batucadas; as well as northeastern Brazilian rhythms such as baião, coco, frevo, maracatu, ciranda, and bumba meu boi. He moved to the United States, where he now lives with his family. In his short time living in the DC region, he has played with various musicians, such as Gigi MacLaughlin, Rafael Pondé, Pablo Regis, Cissa Paz, Julie Mack, João Fênix, and JP Silva. He is passionate about Brazilian music and culture.