This Saturday, November 1st, at 8:30 p.m., the Santuário de Nossa Senhora Auxiliadora, in Corumbá, will be the stage for the debut of the Orquestra Sinfônica da Fronteira Sul-Americana (OSF) (South American Border Symphony Orchestra). With the concert “Sinfonia da Integração”, the night promises emotion, artistic excellence, and union among sister peoples, celebrating the transformative power of art.

In the debut performance, the OSF will perform two classics of the world repertoire: Symphony No. 1, by Beethoven, and the Carmen Suite, by Georges Bizet — iconic works that symbolize the universality of music and dialogue between cultures.

For the first time in the state’s history, an orchestra made up of musicians from Mato Grosso do Sul and Bolivia will perform a complete Beethoven symphony in its original scoring. “It will be an unforgettable concert. It is the realization of a collective dream — the first step of an orchestra that came to stay and represent our border on great stages,” says conductor José Maikson Amorim.

A dream that became a symphony

The OSF was born from the work developed by the Orquestra de Câmara do Pantanal (Pantanal Chamber Orchestra), a project of the Instituto Moinho Cultural Sul-Americano (South American Moinho Cultural Institute). The initiative, whose purpose has always been to connect cultures and transform lives through art, is now expanding with an unprecedented symphonic formation.

“The OSF is the realization of an ideal: an orchestra born of the border, one that believes in the strength of differences and carries the purpose of taking this territory’s name to the world,” says Márcia Rolon, artistic director of Moinho Cultural.

“We want to show that it is possible to make art in a difficult region, to prove that great and positive things are also born here. Music is our answer to violence — it is our instrument of transformation,” emphasizes Vinícius Klaus, music coordinator of Moinho Cultural.

The idea for the Orquestra Sinfônica da Fronteira began to take shape about three years ago, in conversations between conductor José Maikson (Brazil) and professor Diego Vaca (Bolivia). The project became a reality in 2025, with the support of the Política Nacional Aldir Blanc de Fomento à Cultura (PNAB) (Aldir Blanc National Policy for the Promotion of Culture) and the encouragement of Moinho Cultural.

“We always dreamed of having a symphony orchestra on the border. Something grand, that would show that Corumbá and Mato Grosso do Sul have musicians capable of playing works found in the greatest concert halls in the world,” explains conductor Maikson. “The OSF is born to show this: that art on the border has strength, talent, and excellence.”

Lineup

Among the Brazilian musicians, the orchestra is conducted by maestro José Maikson Amorim and features concertmaster José Antônio Méndez Barba, a Bolivian member of OCAMP.

In the string sections are Maria Fernanda Castilho Acosta, Marco Antônio de Souza, Analice Martins, Gabriela Padilla (Bolivia), Kaíza Alves, Karoline Jarcem, and Diego Cuéllar (Bolivia) on violins and violas; Emanuel Teixeira on viola; Valério Reis, Daniel Castilho Acosta, and Carlos Eduardo Oliveira on cellos; and Yan Alves and Pedro Castedo on double basses.

Woodwinds and brass include Jorge Gil (oboe), Anny Kellen (flute), Felipe Arruda (clarinet), Brunna Arruda (bassoon), Lucas Ortiz (trumpet), Raphael Conceição (horn), Elverson Monteiro, Kaio Lucas dos Santos, and Yago Douglas (trombones). Percussion is formed by Leandro Henrique, João Emanoel, Paulo Henrique Nascimento, and Clóvis Neto, with Vinícius Klaus on piano.

On the Bolivian side, the lineup includes Nicolás Ardaya (oboe), Juan Portal (bassoon), Jairo Justiniano (horn), María René Árias (flute), plus violinists Ariel Suárez, Rebeca Villarroe, Jorge Montero, Evelin Sarabia, Jarol Alexis Suárez, Dalay Fernández, and Carolina Mano Cuéllar. Rounding out the group are violists Eimar Machado and Giuliana Frey, and cellists Franklin Coronel and Nicol Quispe.

Partnership

During the debut concert, a partnership will be signed between the Instituto Moinho Cultural Sul-Americano and the Escola de Santiago de Chiquitos (Bolívia) (Santiago de Chiquitos School, Bolivia). The agreement marks the start of the expansion of the Sistema de Música do Moinho Cultural (Moinho Cultural Music System), a methodology developed by the institution that integrates music, dance, literature, and technology in a proposal for comprehensive education.

Each hub will be able to implement the full model or adapt it to its local realities. The manager of the Orquestra de Chiquitos, Khatryn Whittaker, will take part in the ceremony, symbolizing this new step of cultural integration and cooperation between the two countries.