Team
Helena Marinho (INET-md, artistic coordination)
António Carrilho (ESART / IPCB, artistic coordination)
Execution calendar
10/2025 to 12/2026
Institutions involved (in collaboration or partnership)
Universidade de Aveiro
INET-md
ESART / IPCB
Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul
Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais
Universidade Federal de Uberlândia
Universidade Federal de Goiás
Universidade do Estado do Amazonas
Universidade Federal de Pernambuco
Funding
República Portuguesa – Cultura, Juventude e Desporto; Direção-Geral das Artes DGArtes 28623
Abstract
The project “Sarabanda Atlântica” proposes a tour by the Borealis Ensemble in Brazil, focusing on the exploration, through music, of themes that have shaped the shared history and, by extension, the common culture of Portugal and Brazil. This tour comprises six concerts (preceded by lectures) and three workshops, to be held in concert halls of higher education music institutions.
The thematic axes addressed are: (1) the shared cultural history, with particular emphasis on the legacies and consequences of the colonial period; (2) the impact of migration in both countries; and (3) recent creation and exchanges in the field of music. In order to engage with these three dimensions, the Borealis Ensemble, formed by Helena Marinho and António Carrilho, has identified and selected works associated with these themes for this tour, combining compositions by Portuguese and Brazilian composers (or those residing in these countries), thereby offering a kaleidoscopic and historically informed perspective on these issues.
The Borealis Ensemble was founded in 2015 by flautist António Carrilho and pianist Helena Marinho, and has since devoted its activity to the dissemination of music for both historical and modern instruments, with a particular focus on contemporary creation and the commissioning of new works. Its repertoire encompasses a wide range of instrumental combinations and includes works from the Baroque period to the present day. In addition to performing in prestigious venues and festivals, the Borealis Ensemble has released two CDs. Several of its projects have been awarded funding by the Directorate-General for the Arts and GEPAC. The ensemble has placed special emphasis on fostering national creation, through commissions from composers based in Portugal and through collaborative creative projects.
Keywords
Music; Portugal and Brazil; Migrations and Music; Chamber Music; Internationalisation.
Photography
Fernando Pandão