Orquestra de Samba (ODS) is a collaboration of ten Chicago area musicians with classical, jazz, latin, and Brazilian musical backgrounds. This innovative ensemble came together in 2002 to explore the depth and beauty of Brazilian music and has since brought its cultural enrichment program to thousands of people in the greater Chicago area through in-school concerts, community events, workshops, and cultural arts festivals. Today, the exciting sound of Orquestra de Samba brings audiences to their feet with percussive Batucada, powerful brass choruses, poignant melodies, and unique arrangements of works by Brazilian composers such as Pixinguinha, Antonio Carlos Jobim, and Heitor Villa-Lobos. ODS has performed at the Hot House, the Old Town School of Folk Music, The International House at the Universtiy of Chicago for "Viva Brazil," and most recently with the acclaimed Apollo Chorus of Chicago for the Cathedral Concerts in spring 2007. ODS is an ensemble in residence at the Music Institute of Chicago where it has performed numerous concerts at Nichols Concert Hall in Evanston.

Performing members:
Luciano Antonio, guitar and voice; Mark Agnor, violin & euphonium; André Azoubel, bass & mandolin, Linda Binder, violin & mandolin; Edgar Campos, trumpet; Lorin Cohen, Bass; Raphael Crawford, Trombone; Felipe Fraga, percussion and voice, Judith Hanna, bass; Chris Hasselbring, trumpet; Jill Kaeding, cello; Marcos Oliveira, percussion and voice; Marc Perlish, flute; Rika Seko, Violin; Richard Yeo, cello.

Funding for Orquestra de Samba's programs is available through the IL Arts Council's Artstour Roster for 2007-09. Click here to learn more.

To schedule an event at your school, library, park district, senior center, or community center, call director Chris Hasselbring at (847) 570-0895, or email samba@evanstonescola.