SAMBA-MARACATU with A Fantåstic Bateria + Baque de Samba

A Fantástica Bateria is Canada’s premier Brazilian percussion ensemble and the fiery rhythmic heartbeat of the Escola de Samba de Toronto. Director Alan Hetherington has shared his passion for samba for decades, shaping a group that today stands as a pioneering cultural bridge between Canada and Brazil — one supported by its association with both The Royal Conservatory and The University of Toronto Faculty of Music. Dedicated to the study, practice, and performance of Samba-Enredo — the creative pinnacle of Rio’s Carnaval — the ensemble blends tradition with innovation, composing original works and collaborating closely with master artists in Brazil. Its reach now extends to Brazil itself: the group recently inaugurated its new international home in Rio de Janeiro, Casa Pirá, in Piratininga.   Baque de Bamba Founded in 2009 by Juno Nominee, Aline Morales, the Afro-Brazilian percussion group Baque de Bamba performs Afro rhythms from the Northeast of Brazil, mostly in the city of Recife, with a principal focus on the Maracatu de Baque Virado style, among other percussive styles like Coco, Ciranda and Ijexá. The group is a contemporary version of this centuries-old Brazilian Afro tradition, represented through drumming, singing, and dancing, delivered with considerable energy and audience engagement. Natural elements (fire, earth, wind, and water), the Orixás (deitias) of the Candomblé tradition, and the meeting of cultures within Colonial Brazil and Africa inform the group’s music, which manifests pride, artistic expression, solidarity, resistance, empowerment, and a sense of community.   Arrive at 11 pm and enjoy some of the Latin orchestra before the late-night global party begins!