 Raízes do Brasil is an advanced workshop project for Brazilian percussion by Dudu Tucci that is unique in Europe and is held every two years in Germany. The course consists of 2 modules of 4 blocks each, spread over 2 years.
Who is Raízes do Brasil for?
Raízes do Brasil is aimed at anyone interested in Brazilian percussion who already plays and wants to explore the diversity of Afro-Brazilian percussion in greater depth. For decades, hundreds of sambistas, group leaders and percussionists have laid their musical foundation here with Dudu for a systematic and in-depth exploration of the universe of Afro-Brazilian rhythms.
Dudu’s authentic relationship with Afro-Brazilian culture, his continual engagement with new musical developments and techniques, and his many years of experience in teaching have shaped the depth and quality of this course over the decades. He shares his knowledge from first-hand experience, with great cultural sensitivity, while remaining open to new approaches and developments in contemporary music. The course is an intensive musical journey through different rhythms and playing styles – a treasure trove of rhythms that goes far beyond individual techniques.
An extraordinary experience
Musical requirements:
For Raízes do Brasil, you should already have some experience with percussion or other musical skills. From the very beginning, the course involves a lot of playing together and a lot of hands-on musical work. You do not have to be a professional, what matters is that you feel comfortable engaging with the music and the percussion instruments and are ready to work intensively with the rhythms and subject matter.
Raízes do Brasil is a hands-on course that takes a detailed look at a wide range of rhythms, playing techniques and musical contexts. You will work with a wide range of instruments, from pandeiro and congas to the full range of samba bateria instruments, including surdo, repinique, caixa / snare, timbal, tamborim, chocalho and cuíca as well as pagode instruments like rebolo, reco-reco, tan tan and repique de mão. Participants are challenged both technically and musically throughout the course. Sambistas with solid practical playing experience will find this course particularly rewarding if they are looking to develop greater musical depth, technique and confidence, while expanding their knowledge of Afro-Brazilian music.
Module 2 requires participation in Module 1, or extensive experience in a range of percussion instruments. It is also an opportunity for participants who have previously completed the entire Raízes do Brasil course in the past and want to refresh and update their skills. Each seminar will be a little different from previous years and while working with many traditional styles, Dudu builds on modern trends and updates his courses continuously.
 Course Content - what you will learn and develop
Module 1 – Building a strong foundation in Brazilian percussion
You will learn important foundations and rudiments of Afro-Brazilian rhythms while developing your playing techniques across a range of instruments. You will work with traditional, classical, modern and ritually rooted rhythms on congas, pandeiro and the full range of samba bateria instruments. The practical work includes warm-ups, technique training, independence exercises and specialised playing techniques such as tamborim turning techniques, floating hands on congas, stick techniques, pandeiro techniques, and hand-stick techniques on repinique and atabaque.
Rhythms, techniques and cultural context
Dudu always teaches rhythms within their cultural context, connecting the practical work on the instruments with historical, social, cultural and spiritual background. This is an integral part of the practical work, helping you understand where the music comes from, how it has developed and the contexts in which it is played. The first four blocks of Raízes do Brasil provide the foundation for the continued work in Module 2. After each block, you will receive material to take home and practise, giving you the opportunity to develop your skills between sessions and arrive at the next block ready to take things further.
Module 2 – Developing your technique, musicality and musical vocabulary
Module 2 is part of the eight-block programme and builds directly on the work of Module 1. Together, the two modules form a continuous learning journey in which the practical skills, rhythms and knowledge you have developed gradually come together and grow into a broader musical understanding.
You will encounter a wide range of Brazilian rhythms and musical traditions and develop a growing vocabulary that you can draw on in your own playing. This means not only learning rhythms and techniques, but learning to recognise different musical contexts, identify the instruments and rhythmic languages involved, and recall and apply patterns when you encounter them again. The practical work continues to develop your technique, coordination, independence and confidence across different instruments. At the same time, you will work increasingly with musical application: playing together, listening and responding, understanding how different parts relate to one another, and developing your own musical choices. Solis, breaks, variations and the adaptation of traditional rhythms to different musical contexts can all become part of this work.
 Connecting Rhythms, Instruments and Musical Traditions
The cultural and historical context remains an integral part of the course. As your repertoire and practical experience grow, so does your ability to make connections between rhythms, instruments, musical traditions and the communities and contexts they come from. This gives you a deeper understanding of the diversity of Afro-Brazilian music and helps you place individual rhythms within a much larger musical picture.
The eight blocks are designed to give this knowledge and experience time to develop. Rather than simply moving from one set of exercises to the next, you build on what you have already learned, make connections between different musical elements and gradually develop a substantial musical vocabulary of your own. This continued process of learning, playing, listening and connecting is a central part of what makes the complete Raízes do Brasil programme so valuable.
Expanding Your Musical Vocabulary and Understanding the Connections
Both modules place a strong musical focus on working with solis, breaks and grooves. Traditional rhythms are adapted for different bateria formations and styles, including samba-batucada, samba-reggae, funk, drum & bass and Afro 12/8, as well as for modern and popular music.
At Raízes do Brasil, you will play a lot - and we mean a lot! You will learn a huge amount along the way, while gradually discovering more and more connections between rhythms, instruments, musical styles and traditions. You will learn where Brazilian rhythms come from, how they are connected, how they have developed and where you can recognise them in modern music. With each block, you will not only expand your repertoire, but build a much deeper understanding of the music as a whole.
Dudu will guide you through this experience with an incredible amount of expertise gained during a lifetime. A precious opportunity to learn about the traditions around Afro-Brazilian music, most of which have never been put into writing. There is a specific focus on social and regional contexts in modern Brazil and their reception in Europe through an extensive study of rhythms, songs, lyrics, and ensembles. The spectrum ranges from Maracatu to the rhythms of Candomblé Ketu and Candomblé do Angola. It also explores how closely these musical traditions are connected to community, everyday life, history and social life in Brazil.
Two Years, Eight Blocks: Developing a Deeper Understanding of Brazilian Percussion
Raízes do Brasil is much more than a series of percussion workshops. It is a rare opportunity to spend two years playing, learning, listening and making connections – with the music, its history and culture, and with the people you share it with. Whether you come with years of playing behind you, are discovering Brazilian music more deeply for the first time, or simply want to understand what you hear and experience in Brazil on a different level, there is something here to take with you. We warmly recommend experiencing the Brazilian Percussion Project Raízes do Brasil as the complete two-year programme, allowing the knowledge, musical vocabulary and inspiration to grow from one block to the next. Individual modules can also be booked separately where places are available. Those who have previously completed Raízes do Brasil are always very welcome to book individual blocks to refresh their knowledge, pick up new ideas and continue developing their playing. |
