Samba Ensemble

Samba Ensemble is a Humanities, Arts and Cultural Studies course.

Course Description
This course draws upon the rich rhythmic and melodic expression of the Brazilian samba as a means to explore broader aspects of Brazilian music and culture. Students will learn about the sounds and rhythms of the batucada, a Brazilian samba-drumming group. We will look at how samba music assumes a broad range of meanings within Brazilian society. Focusing principally on the music from the Rio de Janeiro escola de samba (samba school) neighborhood organizations, we may also study other forms of Brazilian music including samba-reggae, afoxj (a carnaval procession from northeastern Brazil), and maracatu (a northeastern Brazilian royal procession). The primary emphasis for this course is to kinesthetically learn the process of making music by playing percussion instruments, singing, and physically moving. Combined with readings, video and interactive discussions, and several written assignments, students will develop a comprehensive image of Brazilian music and culture.