The conductor from Mato Grosso do Sul trained by the Instituto Moinho Cultural Sul-Americano, José Maikson, left Corumbá a few days ago with a mission: to conduct one of the songs that the Nova Orquestra, made up of musicians from the Programa Vale Música, would perform. But fate had it that he would lead an entire concert.

Due to a family emergency involving the lead conductor, Eder Paolozzi, Maikson stepped in as the substitute conductor for the closing performance of the Everybody tour, which brings together hits from the Backstreet Boys in celebration of the band’s 30th anniversary. Musician Ludhymila Bruzzi, from Serra, also took part, conducting one song in the concert.

“It was an incredible experience. For the first time, I had the opportunity to conduct the Nova Orquestra. The tour went through four cities: Belo Horizonte, Rio de Janeiro, Salvador and Vitória, and in this last one, I conducted the entire concert, from start to finish. The Nova Orquestra brings so much energy wherever it goes, giving the audience a true show, full of music, dance and interaction with the crowd,” says the conductor, who leads the OCAMP (Orquestra de Câmara do Pantanal) and takes part in the Nova Orquestra alongside several musicians.

Conductor José Maikson, trained at Moinho Cultural

The tour was also a first for OCAMP violinist Gabriel Ramos Pereira de Souza. It was his first time on tour. “The experience was really great. Traveling with everyone for a longer period allows for more time together, it brings us closer. The tour’s performance was incredible. The Nova Orquestra has a different approach, not like the others. The shows are more outgoing, meant for jumping, dancing. I even learned to dance. The words that sum it all up are learning, experience, exchange and fun,” he says.

For Flávia Sanchez, OCAMP violinist, the tour’s repertoire stood out. She had already taken part in Nova Orquestra tours honoring Cazuza and Charlie Brown Jr.

“This tour had a repertoire that was new to me. Honoring the Backstreet Boys was incredible and wonderful. I had so much fun playing, and seeing the audience singing along was surreal and delightful. I feel completely fulfilled and grateful for the opportunity to experience all of this,” says the musician.

In all, 12 OCAMP musicians took part in the tour, which brought together 35 participants from the Programa Vale Música: from Moinho Cultural and from Serra, in Espírito Santo, plus 10 members of the Nova Orquestra, from Rio de Janeiro.

This is the fourth time that the Nova Orquestra and the Programa Vale Música have launched a project together, and the third tour across the country. In October 2022, the concert “Dias de Lutas, Dias de Glória” was held, featuring hits by the band Charlie Brown Jr, passing through Rio de Janeiro, Brasília, Mato Grosso do Sul and São Luís, with sold-out shows. Then in April came “Exagerado“, a concert honoring Cazuza, which passed through Rio, Espírito Santo, Belo Horizonte and Pará, also sold out.