First International Choro Festiva w/ Billy Newman Acoustic Quartet

The Billy Newman Acoustic Quartet plays the instrumental music of Brazil. Choro makes up a large part of the group's repertoire and includes the many choro compositions of Billy Newman. Since 1987 he has been traveling to Brazil in order to research Brazilian music and perform with local musicians in Rio de Janeiro, Brasilia, Recife and Florianopolis. While a recipient of Composer’s residencies three years in a row (from 2007, 08, 09) from the prestigious institutions - Yaddo and The MacDowell Colony - he had the opportunity and the inspiration from his experiences to compose many choros. His important musical associations include Rogerio Souza and Rodrigo Lessa, important choro players in Rio de Janeiro. In NYC with his ensembles, Billy has played in many festivals (Savassi, 3rd Street, Central Park) and the major cultural institutions such as Moma, Guggenheim, and Brooklyn Museum in town. Billy plays 7 string guitar and cavaquinho but has been focusing again on "6" as he often is the melodist and soloist in his groups. Over the years he has given workshops in Choro and has taught many a private student. In his group are musicians who have extensive experience playing Brazilian music and choro. Tom Armstrong (pandeiro) had played with Mike Marshall and other important choro players on the west coast. Dominique Gagne has led her own groups in the Northeast of United States besides playing many genres of flute music. Felicia de Sanctus (7 string) had been Billy's student for years but has branched out on her own and studied much in Brazil with some of the great guitar players of the last 20 years.