Today we’d like to introduce you to Moacyr Marchini.
Hi Moacyr, we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?
I am a native of Brazil who learned traditional samba music when I was growing up in the city of São Paulo. Batucadas (percussion ensembles) and pagodes (a style of vocal music with a samba rhythm) could be heard on street corners, in open bars, on beaches, in parks, and on soccer fields throughout the year.
By the age of 10, I performed my first recital. During my teenage years, I played in a Samba School (a neighborhood association performing during Carnaval). After moving to the United States in 1985, I continued to be very involved with samba music, founding the Chicago Samba in Chicago-IL; In 1993, when I moved to St. Louis-MO, I started the Brazilian music group Samba Bom. I also started teaching and performing the Sounds of Brazil program at schools for a not-for-profit organization named Spring-Board StL.
Alright, let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall, and if not, what challenges have you had to overcome?
It is challenging to survive as a professional musician; sometimes, it is hard to reconcile having to work a full time job and play music on the side. Being a Brazilian musician makes my music very specific for a specific and limited audience.
Another factor is that there are few Brazilian musicians in the Midwest USA, it is hard to find musicians who know the music or musicians with skills to represent the different music styles from Brazil.
Playing music has been a passion to me, in order to succeed one must do it with love and determination.
Let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
I am a composer, full-time musician, singer, cavaquinho player, percussionist, and a promoter leading music groups and events in Chicago-IL and St Louis-MO. I also have a bachelor’s degree in advertising, which helps me to put the word out there promoting my events, trying to keep up with new media and new technologies.
My specialty is Brazilian percussion, Brazilian Carnaval, and Brazilian music, where I perform and teach classes, clinics, workshops, and residencies. I’ve been doing it for over 30 years, and being a native Brazilian gives me some authority on the subject. I enjoy seeing people respectfully embracing and representing my culture, whether in music, dance, or any art form. And if they participate by studying and performing it, it makes me twice as happy.
Do you have any memories from childhood that you can share with us?
Playing futebol (soccer) in the rain.
Playing percussion (batucadas) on the street corners of my neighborhood as I was growing up.
Playing street games with my friends after school.
Playing cavaquinho (Brazilian guitar) with my father, my parents had a very stable relationship.
Pricing:
- Samba Bom CD at www.sambabom.com $10.00 downloading.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.sambabom.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sambabomstl/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/sambabom
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/moacyrmarchini/
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/SambabomSTL
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCLW4BxHS-wsOJqdLJcwX1dA
- Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/user_details_reviews_self?userid=y0vuBbKVGor0JjCHvKVvZQ
- Other: https://www.cdbabylicensing.com/track/NTY3OTg5Ni04NDdkZjI
