The song of the song is a renewed work. It is not the first song that we keep in mind. It is the inherent meaning of the song which is possible to return to  when we want a time back, or when time wants back a song. Some days in my life I have found myself in a family's party singing only Sylvia Orthoff in a musical composition by Marco Aureh. Those songs will always bring back a time of party, childhood and happiness.

The first Marco Aureh work  that I knew was "Cantando Sylvia Orthoff" -- a collection of songs created to the poems of one of the most important authors in Brazilian Children's Literature.

Musician, composer, Aureh has an important career in the theater, as a composer of soundtracks and music director in musical plays, the most  recent is "João do Vale, o poeta do povo".

But it is not children's theatre that dominates Aureh's work. He also creates   progressive rock music and with the group Ze Vagão has worked with northeast rhythms of Brazil, an influence we can notice in his musical work for children.

Tireless, Marco is already preparing a new show and a CD. 

In this interview, Marco tells us about his story and his life in art. 

Marco, you are, first  of all, a musician. How did you start in theatre?
Well, I started early. My mother, an excellent singer, also had theatre in her blood.  She used to create several roles. Suddenly, when we were talking or having dinner she took on a theatrical role. That was really funny! But, I started acting at school, in Petropolis. Afterwards, I took part in a clown's  group named "Pipócolis". At that time I learned how to connect myself with the stage energy, where one must expand one's halo and  magnetism, and there is no better school for that than that of the clowns. When I took part in the first theatre performance as an  actor, it was in the main role! And as I was already a musician, joined the two together.  From then on I did not stop composing soundtracks for theatre and I work as a musical director also.

You were born in a  family of musicians. Would it be impossible to follow another career?
I don't think so.  I could have followed another career.  None of my three sisters works music professionally, although one of them sings and plays very well.  But I  decided to work with art since I was very young.  The best thing in being born in a  family of artists is that I always had freedom to create and to take Art as a profession. There is  respect for this decision. I have never felt repressed by them, on contrary. 

And the works for children's audiences? I know the one on Sylvia Orthoff well.
If am not misleading myself, that had started along with "Aroma das Cores", a group of leisure activities, including music, theatre, culinary and yoga, aimed at children. In the 90's, I worked on several children's plays, I taught music at a school, when I launched 3 CDs with students as singers. At that time I composed a great deal for children. The group  "Pipócolis" also recorded and we've been in several children's shows on TV, such as Xuxa, Carequinha and Daniel Azulay. My most recent CD is  "Cantando Sylvia Orthof". There I join songs I have composed for Sylvia's poems and stories, and I also performed a musical show. I like very much working for children.

You have worked with Sylvia Orthoff. What was that experience like?
We really worked together, we made a beautiful partnership. This  meeting happened when I was working at the theatre company "Pessoal aí", performing "A História de lenços e ventos", by Ilo Krugli. Then, suddenly, in an open scene, a couple rose in the audience and strongly clapped their hands.  That was Sylvia and her husband, Tato, who was the illustrator of many of her books. After that  she invited our group to stage one of her texts.  Then we started our partnership.  Afterwards we created the "Teatro do livro aberto" in which we act only with Sylvia's texts and direction.  We traveled a lot. I  learned a lot with her.  She had an inspired and incredible creativity. 

And the Zé Vagão group? Does it specialized in northeastern rhythms?
This band, initially, was called "Brasilino".  The northeastern song was the profile of the group.  Afterwards, when I produced the musical show "Cantando Sylvia Orthof", the name changed in homage to Sylvia's text "Zé Vagão da Roda Fina e sua mãe Leopoldina".  That musical traveled a lot, and it was seen by nearly 50 thousand people, mainly in the south region of Brazil. The group had a break  recently and this project is being archived  as well as the show, that I am planning to perform soon.

Do you still work with progressive music? 
The progressive song is actually my great passion.  At this moment, I am not working on a specific project , but I always carry this influence in my work. In the musical "João do Vale – o poeta do povo", for example, I have created an introduction for the song "Carcará", which has clearly a progressive inspiration. That is in my blood, there is no way out!

How did you become the musical director of "João do Vale – o poeta do povo"?  How did you find out João do Vale's music?
This genius'  beautiful music I already knew,  not as much as after the musical direction work. But "Carcará", "Cel Antonio Bento", "Pisa na Fulô", "O canto da Ema", "Na asa do vento" were already part of my musical memory. I was invited by Carlos Augusto Nazareth, who was, at that time, directing Maria Helena Khuner play. When he left the project, Maria Helena herself took over the direction. We rehearsed exhaustively for two months and now we are getting compensated with the reviewers and audience acknowledgments. Audiences have felt very excited after the play. João do Vale's life teaches us a lot.  

How do you compare the musical and theatre markets for a Brazilian artist who works in both fields?
It has always been very difficult.  The song of quality does not have much place for promotion.  For example, TV promotes a very low level music and to play on radio we must pay for that, this is the so called "jabá". But there are more options for work than in theatre. The internet, for example, allows for the purchase of music, but theatre, only happens once on the stage, at the right moment, alive. No media can represent theatre, it is unique but as a working field it is quite restricted. Musicians also have nightclubs as a field of work. Theatre work depends, normally, on a better structure of production and that limits its expansion as a field of work.

You learned music by yourself. Was that a choice or a circumstance?  I ask that because when one thinks about learning music, one usually considers formal training at a Music School or Musical Conservatory.  I mean, academic training is sometimes considered more valuable. So how was this process of learning and discovering musical creation.?
That  was a circumstantial option, I should say. I have been always surrounded by musicians - uncles, nephews, a singer mother  and family friends. We used to be all together in musical events at my grandma's house.  Since early on, I researched with deep dedication and passion.  Afterwards, I began studying to improve. I took several courses on theory and harmony, but never followed structured training, which has a tendency to restrict oneself. João do Vale  is a great example. He played no instrument, but he had an impressive inner musicality, which just spread out creatively.  And that is the kind of originality that Musical Conservatories (the name already indicates!) tries to mold, putting everybody in a form. Art and form do not match. 

What are you focused on now?
I am performing with the cast and the musicians of the musical "João do Vale, o poeta do povo", the show "Na asa do vento" with the band  "Coroné Antônio Bento e os Carcarás". Besides that, I am still on the stage at the musical "João do Vale – o poeta do povo".

Future projects
This new band and a next CD and show with new songs for 2007.

TAKE NOTE

Marco Aureh web site: www.marcoaureh.com.br
Marco Aureh email contact: contato@marcoaureh.com.br