The Curica-Musical Society Curica of Goiana, a city in Pernambuco’s Northern Forest Zone, is the oldest brass band in Brazil. It was founded on 8 September 1848 by José Conrado de Souza Nunes,with the objective of playing at religious festivals.
According to local history, the band had neither name noruniforms when it was founded, and was known as the José Conrado Group. One day, on their way to play in DireitaSt, they stopped in front of the house of an woman named Iria and offered her a polka. After the performance, she told one of her maids that the music seemed to say Curi-ca-cá ... Curi-ca-cá ... giving rise to the Curica nickname by which the band became known. There is also a green, black, orange, yellow, red and blue-coloured bird called Curica that lives in the Amazon.
During the visit of Emperor Pedro II to Goiana, on 6 December 1859, Curica gave a presentation to the Emperor, as did Saboeira, another local bandand Curica’srival.
The rivalry between the Curica and Saboeira bands has always existed. Sometimes the concerts and religious festivals in which the bands played ended in trouble, panic and even gun fire.
Curica has had several presidents, including Goiana’s district attorney José Carlos Cavalcanti Borges, a great friend and supporter of the band and father of the physician and writer José Carlos Cavalcanti Borges.
Curica has made several tours around Brazil, representing the municipality of Goiana, and has won many awards. It is one of the prides of the Goiana people.
Among the several illustrious names that have been part of Curica’s membership are those of President Getúlio Vargas and Flores da Cunha,the interventor of Rio Grande do Sul.
Like most bands in the Country, the head quarters of Curica operates a school of music, where poor children receive free musical tuition, thanks to the praise worthy and philanthropic work of the maestros and their assistants.
Curica remains active thanks to the efforts and encouragement of the people of Goiana, the collaboration of the municipal government and the dedication of the maestros and local musicians who have been trained atthe Curica school.
Recife, 7 april 2004.
(updated on 24 august 2009).
Translated by Peter Leamy, February 2012.
sources consulted
IRMÃO, José Pedro Damião. Tradicionais bandas de música. Recife: CEPE, 1970. 184p.
SILVA, Leonardo Dantas (Org.). Bandas musicais de Pernambuco: origens e repertório. Recife: Governo do Estado de Pernambuco, Secretaria do Trabalho e Ação Social, Fundo de Amparo ao Trabalhador, 1998. 395 p.
how to quote this text
Source:GASPAR, Lúcia. Curica (Marching Band) . Pesquisa Escolar Online, Joaquim Nabuco Foudation, Recife. Available at: <http://basilio.fundaj.gov.br/pesquisaescolar/>. Accessed: day month year. Exemple: 6 Aug. 2009