Orquestra Voadora

Origin

Rio de Janeiro, RJ

Years active

2008

Genres

instrumental music, samba, rock and roll, pop

Instruments

brass, percussion

Biography

Orquestra Voadora is a Brazilian musical band established in Rio de Janeiro in 2008. The group originated from musicians who performed in various carnival street blocks across the city, aiming to innovate their repertoire by fusing traditional marchinhas with samba, rock and roll, movie and cartoon soundtracks, and general pop music. Their annual carnival block has been parading since 2009 at Aterro do Flamengo, concluding near the Museum of Modern Art in Rio de Janeiro.

Following the success of their street performances, the band expanded beyond the carnival season, touring nightclubs throughout Brazil and performing internationally in countries such as Portugal, France, Spain, England, Belgium, and Colombia. In 2013, they released their debut album, Ferro Velho, produced by Tim Malik and André Ramos. That same year, the group also launched a weekly brass and percussion workshop at Circo Voador to train new musicians and promote urban space occupation.

This educational initiative helped foster the creation of the "movimento neofanfarrístico carioca," spawning several other brass bands like Siderais, Damas de Ferro, Ataque Brasil, and Fanfarra Black Clube. Through their street interventions and workshops, Orquestra Voadora has significantly influenced contemporary Brazilian instrumental music, sharing common artistic horizons with acts like Fanfarra Black Clube and Ataque Brasil.