Chapter Six - In a Spirit of Generosity—Cello Festivals in Brazil's Nordeste and Brazil's “Switzerland”

Summary

Festivals in João Pessoa and Campos do Jordão in the late seventies and eighties: a study in international cooperation.

“Throughout all my years of teaching, I have always dreamed of a place where I could bring a select number of gifted cellists together…”

Parisot established several unique cello festivals in Brazil beginning in 1977. These festivals maintained a high level of performance and set a high standard, especially through their association—beginning with the second festival– with the rigor of international competition. Intended for Brazilian musicians as well as others from around the globe, the festivals brought together musicians in a harmonious and spectacular geographic setting while also making classical music available to Brazilians from all levels of society. And, as often happens, a love of music makes it possible to cut across international boundaries. During the first festival, at one point there was a blackout over the entire nordeste; students were rehearsing in a large hall at the hotel. After a few moments of silence, someone started playing from one of the Bach Cello Suites, and soon everyone joined in.

These festivals took place in a region of Brazil close to Parisot's place of birth, and that was very satisfying for him. A son of the nordeste, who was raised in Natal and worked professionally in Recife, Parisot wanted to foster development of music in that region, which possessed none of the cultural advantages of Rio and São Paulo to the south. One effect of the festival was indeed to spur music education in northeastern Brazilian schools in far reaching and extraordinary ways—for example, the government of Paraíba during this time sponsored the manufacture of five thousand cellos to be given free of charge to schoolchildren. Brazilians—some of whom had never seen a cello—were brought by bus from small towns where music had been taught to students by teachers from Project Espiral, a program that allowed teachers to stay and teach in one location for two years. The festivals were to be only the first step in this process. The ultimate goal was to establish a music school in the nordeste. Parisot's stepfather had once established a school in Natal that fell into disuse after his death, and Parisot wanted to continue in this tradition.