Amy Burcham: Looking to share traditional music to a new generation

 At the end of one of  the monthly local music events I attend, a lady I was holding the door for asked me whom was I working for? I told her I wasn`t working for anyone and this was just a freelance thing that I do on my own. She told me that she was doing something at the new +Whole Foods Market and would I be interested in stopping by and taking pictures of her and I said sure not a problem. She gave me her card and told me her performance would began at noon.

 Well the lady is Amy Burcham and the card  reads West Tn Choro which is a non-profit organization started by Ms. Burcham to raise awareness of Choro( pronounced as SHOH-roh) which is a form of 19th century Brazilian music featuring clarinet, saxophone, trumpet,  trombone, and her instrument of choice the day the mandolin

 

"It is very difficult to interest local musicians in playing something different - people are busy, and learning a new skill is intimidating -it has just been hard to get anybody's attention about choro up to now."

"A big focus of our organization's efforts will be to establish ways to encourage participation by local musicians of all ages - from young students to older amateurs who play an acoustic instrument.  "

"Far too often, those of us who devote ourselves to music in these formative years find ourselves putting the instrument under the bed as we graduate and go off into our working lives. Choro - the study of choro as a group activity, and the nature of this particular repertoire - provides classically trained students a perfect sweet spot between playing "on the page" and improvisation. it is, more importantly, a way to collaborate with others musically in the closest thing to recreational chamber music I've ever personally seen. I am passionate about choro primarily as a result of having been given workshop and seminar opportunities that allowed me - one of these adults who "used to play" - a new chance at music, a feeling of extended family connection, and endless creative and intellectual challenge through a rich and generous musical culture."

For more information on the West Tn Choro visit their web site http://westtnchoro.org  or visit their facebook page https://www.facebook.com/westtnchoro

 All photos taken with my  +Nikon USA D40 and my +Nikon USA  35-135mm lens