Composed 2024; 7 minutes 

Pianist, arranger and composer André Mehmari has been recognized as one of the most original and versatile Brazilian musicians of his generation and has received awards in both the classical and popular music genres. In addition to a vast discography of over 50 albums, Mehmari has an active international career. In November 2022, he premiered his Portais Brasileiros at Carnegie Hall, a series of compositions for various ensembles that depict Brazilian culture and soul.

“When we decided to go on the journey of commissioning works from each of our cultural backgrounds,” writes the Galvin Cello Quartet, “Andre Mehmari was the first composer who came to mind, representing Luiz’s Brazilian heritage. (Two years ago, we commissioned a work by composer Zhou Tian to represent Haddon’s Chinese heritage). As a multi-instrumentalist, Mehmari’s experience with many genres of music made him the perfect composer to bring our vision to life. 

Forrobodó is heavily influenced by northeastern Brazilian rhythms, while utilizing the cello’s full register, as well as extended techniques, to mimic the sound of traditional instruments such as the berimbau. This incredibly energetic and lively piece was commissioned for us in November of 2024 and we premièred it at our New York debut at Merkin Hall.”