- A Chamber group formed by 12 members of the Chiquinha Gonzaga Youth Symphony Orchestra will perform on the 10th at the Fado Café Stage
- With works from Chico Buarque to Chiquinha Gonzaga, Brazilian girls will perform for the first time in Lisbon at one of the largest music festivals in Europe
- The OSJ Chiquinha Gonzaga was created in 2021 to expand the representation and diversity of female instrumentalists
- Partnership with GALP also provides musical training centres for more than 700 students in highly socially vulnerable territories
At the invitation of GALP, a chamber group from the Chiquinha Gonzaga Youth Symphony Orchestra, formed exclusively by Brazilian girls, among others, 16 and 22 years old, from the public school system, will perform at NOS Alive on July 10, at the same event that will feature stars such as Olivia Rodrigo. The show will take place on the Palco Fado Café and the program includes songs such as A Banda, by Chico Buarque; Garota de Ipanema, by Tom Jobim and Vinicius de Moraes; Anunciação, by Alceu Valença; Aquarela do Brasil, by Ary Barroso; Feira de Mangaio, by Sivuca, and – of course – Abre Alas, by Chiquinha Gonzaga.
This will be the fourth international tour of the Orchestra, which has already performed in Portugal (although not in Lisbon), Spain, Switzerland and France. In November of this year, the group will perform at the prestigious Carnegie Hall in New York, in the United States.
Founded in 2021 to promote representation and diversity among female instrumentalists, the OSJ Chiquinha Gonzaga has 52 members in its full lineup. The group has performed alongside artists such as Elba Ramalho, Alexandre Nero, Toni Garrido, Maria Gadú, Roberta Miranda and Mônica Salmaso, as well as classical music icons such as Portuguese soprano Carla Caramujo and tenor Eric Herrero. The orchestra’s name pays homage to pianist, composer and Brazil’s first female conductor, Chiquinha Gonzaga – a woman ahead of her time who made music a tool for voice, freedom and opportunity. Her story inspires women’s struggle and fosters debate on gender equality.
Sponsored by Galp/Petrogal Brasil, through the Federal Law for Cultural Incentives, several actions are promoted in areas of high social vulnerability, including music training classes, acquisition of quality instruments, refurbishment of spaces, granting of scholarships to members of the Orchestra and hiring of renowned teachers from Brazilian universities and orchestras, who prepare girls for access to higher education and the professional music market.
“More than just musical training, the Chiquinha Gonzaga Symphony Orchestra, thanks to the sponsorship of GALP/Petrogal Brasil, offers real paths to building a future with greater equity, freedom and representation. Girls who previously had no access to art now find in music a means of expression, of dreaming and of transformation – of themselves, of their communities and society as a whole”, says Moana Martins, executive director of OSJ Chiquinha Gonzaga and of five other musical groups that promote social transformation and community integration through education, music and culture.
“We are very excited about this invitation from GALP to play in Portugal. This partnership is strategic and essential for the success of the Chiquinha Gonzaga Symphony Orchestra and the academic and professional careers of young musicians. In addition to the Orchestra, the collaboration with GALP allows us to maintain seven musical training centres, with more than 700 students, in highly vulnerable areas in Rio de Janeiro”, concludes Moana Martins.
About the Chiquinha Gonzaga Youth Symphony Orchestra:
To foster representation and diversity among female instrumentalists, the Chiquinha Gonzaga Youth Symphony Orchestra was founded in 2021, composed exclusively of girls – children and young students of the public school system in Rio de Janeiro. Under the direction of conductor Priscila Bomfim, the group, with 52 members, debuted in June of this year in a show with a special appearance by singer Elba Ramalho. Since then, he has performed on prominent stages such as the Teatro Municipal in Rio de Janeiro, Casa França-Brasil and Teatro Imperator, and has performed alongside artists such as Toni Garrido, Paula Lima, Maria Gadú, Mona Vilardo, Angelica de la Riva, Carla Caramujo, Eric Herrero, Mel Lisboa and Mônica Salmaso.
In November 2022, as part of the celebrations for the Bicentennial of Brazil’s Independence, the Orchestra held its first international tour, with performances in Cascais and Braga (Portugal) and Madrid (Spain). In 2023, a tour of Switzerland followed with the show Aquarela Brasileira, which visited Zurich, Biel, Solothurn, Basel and Geneva. In 2024, part of the Orchestra participated in an exchange program with the Bordeaux Youth Orchestra in France.
The Orchestra’s name pays tribute to the pianist, composer and first female conductor in Brazil, Chiquinha Gonzaga – a visionary artist who faced prejudice and used her music as a vehicle for emancipation and change. The Orchestra symbolises women’s struggle for equality and establishes itself as a space for reflection and transformation. Its repertoire ranges from national to international works.
Chiquinha Gonzaga Youth Symphony Orchestra in Lisbon
At the invitation of Petrogal Brasil, a joint venture between Galp and Sinopec, the main sponsor of the Chiquinha Gonzaga Youth Symphony Orchestra, through the Federal Law of Cultural Incentive, the group will perform on July 10 at NOS Alive, a festival that takes place annually in Lisbon. The presentation will be on the Fado Café Stage.
- Date: 07/10/2025
- Event: NOS Alive
- Location: Algés Promenade (Fado Café Stage)
Setlist:
- Mangaio Fair – Sivuca (Arr.: Vinícius Louzada)
- The Band – Chico Buarque (Arr.: Jamberê | Adapted: Vinícius Louzada)
- The Story of Lily Braun – Chico Buarque and Edu Lobo (Arr.: Nelson Ayres | Adapted: Vinícius Louzada)
- Berimbau – Baden Powell and Vinicius de Moraes (Arr.: Mateus Araújo)
- Annunciation – Alceu Valença (Arr.: Mateus Araújo)
- Aquarela do Brasil – Ary Barroso (Arr.: Vinícius Louzada)
- Girl from Ipanema – Tom Jobim and Vinicius de Moraes (Arr.: Dico)
- Diana in Frevo – Manuel Ferreira Lima (Arr.: Vinícius Louzada)
- Opening Wings – Chiquinha Gonzaga (Arr.: Anderson Alves)
Always confirm with the concert hall or promoter the conditions of access, confirmation of the date or time, ticket place of sale, price, and availability.
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