Pianist Araceli Chacon paid a visit to the Instituto Moinho Cultural Sul-Americano, in Corumbá. The visit, which lasted a week, was made possible thanks to a partnership with the Instituto Acaia Pantanal.
In addition to actively contributing to classes, the pianist also analyzed, during this period, the entire teaching methodology of Moinho Cultural. Throughout the year, she will return to collaborate in teaching and also in the participants’ learning process.
“I hope to collaborate in the best way possible, to do work together with Moinho Cultural, with all the teachers. I was a Brazilian government scholarship holder for many years, since I was little. Deep down, I’ve always felt immense gratitude for having had my education largely sponsored by the government, and I’ve always wanted to give that back somehow to Brazilians. It’s a dream of mine, and it’s with joy that I’m ready to work in the best way possible,” said the pianist, who has already performed concerts throughout Brazil, the United States, Canada, Germany, and South Africa.
Araceli Chacon performed for the first time as an orchestra soloist at age nine. She began her piano studies in her hometown, São José do Rio Preto (SP), at the Conservatório Musical Carlos Gomes, continuing them with pianist Lydia Alimonda. A scholarship holder at the prestigious Juilliard School of Music, in New York, she graduated and completed a master’s degree in music.
Incentive for the Arts
At the end of May, Moinho Cultural opened a new space for music classes. The venue houses the piano donated by Tereza Bracher to the institution in December 2021, which had belonged to Anita Novinsky
“Our work is about transforming life stories through art. And this has been possible thanks to the partnership of incredible women, such as Tereza and Araceli. The former donated the piano and the latter set out to bring it to life, here inside Moinho Cultural. We are very grateful for this chain that forms on behalf of our children and teenagers,” says Moinho Cultural’s executive director, Márcia Rolon.
The Instituto Moinho Cultural Sul-Americano
Moinho Cultural is a civil society organization (OSC) that offers dance, music, technology, and IT classes to children and teenagers in situations of social vulnerability in Corumbá, Ladário, Puerto Suarez, and Puerto Quijarro. The continuing education offered by the institution lasts up to eight years. Moinho also works on training creative performers for young people and adults, through the Companhia de Dança do Pantanal (Pantanal Dance Company), Orquestra de Câmara do Pantanal (Pantanal Chamber Orchestra), and the Technology Center. The institution’s mission is to reduce social vulnerability in the Brazil-Bolivia border region through access to cultural and technological resources. Since activities began, more than 23,000 children and teenagers have been served by Moinho.
The Institute currently has master sponsorship via the Instituto Cultural Vale’s Cultural Incentive Law, as well as sponsorship from Bellalluna Participações LTDA, BRINKS, BTG Pactual, CaraÍ Empreendimentos LTDA, COMPER, Instituto Itaú Cultural, HINOVE, Rodobens, and Criança Esperança, funding from the Government of the State of Mato Grosso do Sul, through the Fundação de Cultura de Mato Grosso do Sul (Mato Grosso do Sul Culture Foundation), in addition to the partnership with J.Macêdo, Itaú Social, and Fecomércio MS-SESC.
Institutional partners include the Corumbá City Hall, Ladário City Hall, Puerto Suárez City Hall, Puerto Quijarro City Hall, Instituto Homem Pantaneiro, IFMS, UFMS, Acaia Pantanal, and other individual and corporate donors.
