After a long week of classes and gloomy weather, this weekend comes as a welcome break. But why put yourself through another listen of “Party Rock Anthem” when you could be stomping your feet to lyrical Brazilian “choro” music? Whether you’re a music buff or simply looking for a new and exciting beat, head over to McNeir Auditorium in New North at 1:15 p.m., where Rogerio Souza and his colleagues are sure to deliver an entertaining afternoon. The best part? It’s completely free.
The performance is part of Georgetown’s Friday Music Series, which brings in commended artists from all over to perform right here on campus, just in case you don’t feel like trekking up to Carnegie Hall (where many of the artists have performed).
Along with choro performers from the D.C. area, Souza—a world-renowned guitarist and pioneer in Brazilian music—will expose you to both choro classics and his own original, innovative compositions.
The series offers a spectrum of music types, from traditional opera to contemporary electro and everything in between. Each year, it brings in artists whose performance specialties expose audiences to an extremely wide variety of music. Italian opera, high-energy percussion, and a saxophone quartet all share space on the program.
Professor Anthony DelDonna, director of the Music Program, said, “It’s not just for older people. We all talk about the importance of hearing live music, so we want to cover many demographics for a wide audience.”
Such variety is possible because the entire music faculty has input in the series. The Friday Music Series is designed to complement various Music Department classes here at Georgetown, and professors are familiar with the circuit of artists and know who to recommend. Thanks to these professors, even the inexperienced listener can be assured of the performers’ ability.
Since its modest beggining in 2002, the Friday Music Series has grown significantly. At no cost, and with famous performers that promise a quality show, it’s not hard to see why McNeir has people lined up at the door each week.
“The series really is great exposure for the music program here,” DelDonna said. “It’s not just people from the University or the Georgetown area. We’ve expanded to greater Washington. We try to create a unique space for music in the area.”
A look at upcoming events for the series reveals its dynamic schedule. On September 30, Michael Beckerman, chair of the Music Department at NYU and frequent guest on Live From Lincoln Center, will host a lecture-recital in collaboration with the Embassy of the Czech Republic. A focus on traditional music continues on October 14 with Bryan Bowers on autoharp. Finishing up the regular season of the series, Paul Rudy adds electronics to violas as he composes to the cosmos in celebration of Galileo on November 11.
Think about it: who doesn’t have room to expand their cultural horizons? And with no price tag, there are no excuses to miss out on these performances. So before you head back to your room this Friday afternoon and take that long-deserved nap, stop in at this week’s installment in the Friday Music Series and bring in the weekend with a saucy Brazilian beat that will leave you dancing for the rest of the night.
