Release submitted on 12/14/2022
On December 14th and 15th, CGTN – China Global TV Network – will air “Sinfonia das Favelas,” a video documentary that tells the story of the Maré do Amanhã Orchestra (OMA), which trains young musicians from the Maré Complex. Inspired by the life story of the late maestro Armando Prazeres, who founded the Rio de Janeiro Pro-Music Orchestra, the Maré do Amanhã Orchestra brings music education to low-income children and young people in the Maré Favela Complex, in Rio de Janeiro's North Zone. Comprising a cluster of communities, Maré is one of the largest favela complexes in the state capital.
The video documentary, produced by Produtora Viralata for CGTN, tells the story of the creation of the Orquestra Maré do Amanhã, founded by conductor Carlos Eduardo Prazeres after his father's murder in 1999, a victim of urban violence in Rio de Janeiro. Since 2011, the Orquestra da Maré has been supported by State Grid Brazil Holding (SGBH) as its main sponsor and has helped transform the lives of more than six thousand young people who have participated in the project and received musical education, reshaping this generation's dreams for the future.
"It was difficult work. We lacked resources at first. We received some support that enabled the formation of the Orquestra Maré da Manhã, but it was through contact with State Grid Brazil that the orchestra took hold. They believed in our project, and so I was able to continue the path my father began when he founded the Orquestra Pró Música, bringing classical music to the favelas, where he fostered talent. I worked with him and learned how he captivated audiences. After his murder, the orchestra discontinued its work, and I decided to resume it in Maré, where, according to police investigations at the time, his killer lived, as that was where he had abandoned his car after murdering him. From this initiative, the Orquestra Maré do Amanhã was born, with the purpose of helping transform the lives of those people, but fundamentally through the work of each of the orchestra's members," emphasizes conductor Carlos Eduardo Prazeres.
The 15-minute video features emotional testimonies from young people welcomed by the Orquestra da Maré, as well as the testimony of its founder, who recounts how the life, work, and especially the loss of his father inspired him to launch this initiative. The Orquestra Maré do Amanhã has performed at music festivals beyond the classical concert repertoire, such as Rock in Rio, and at a special performance for Pope Francis at the Vatican. The group moves and enchants everyone wherever it goes with its carefully rehearsed chords, the result of the dedication of its young musicians, conductors, and instructors.
"Supporting initiatives like the Maré do Amanhã Orchestra, which aims to transform the future of young people in one of Rio de Janeiro's most violent favela complexes through music, is an important way to demonstrate our concern for the country's future. Furthermore, increasingly seeking to integrate these two worlds, connecting Chinese and Brazilian cultures, is part of our efforts to strengthen the bonds of friendship that unite China and Brazil," says Ramon Haddad, vice president of SGBH.
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The video documentary “Sinfonia das Favelas” will premiere on CGTN https://www.cgtn.com/ on December 14th and 15th, and will be available on the State Grid Brazil Holding YouTube channel: https://youtu.be/Dp92wNryKyM (subtitles in Portuguese);
https://youtu.be/L2GkNxn_wRc (English subtitles).
Tomorrow's Tide Orchestra website: https://maredoamanha.org/)
