Choro: Book & CD

Choro swings with infectious energy and lyrical grace. These melodies breathe with syncopation rooted in European salon music and African rhythmic sensibility, creating something that feels both intimate and celebratory. The style invites players into conversation through improvisation, turning a simple melody into a shared discovery.

Musicians of any instrument who want to move beyond surface familiarity with Brazilian music and develop real stylistic fluency in choro. This book serves ensemble directors introducing their groups to Latin repertoire and individual musicians preparing for recitals or jam sessions centered on Brazilian traditions.

• Listen to the recordings repeatedly before playing. The CD models authentic phrasing and rhythmic inflection that notation alone cannot capture; let your ear absorb the feel before your fingers take over.
• Practice the written examples in strict tempo first, then gradually loosen the pulse to allow the natural swing of choro rhythm to emerge.
• When working toward improvisation, start by ornamenting the written melodies with small embellishments before attempting full-blown solos.

Use this resource to build a thematic concert around Brazilian music, pairing choro with samba and bossa nova selections. It also works beautifully as a sequence of ensemble warm-ups throughout a season, with students gradually mastering one traditional melody per month while building improvisational confidence.

• Syncopated rhythm reading and performance in choro idiom
• Stylistic phrasing and articulation characteristic of Brazilian music
• Call-and-response improvisation over traditional melodies
• Transposition awareness across C, B-flat, E-flat, and bass clefs
• Listening and transcription of authentic recordings