Review by William Chan
The two-weekend “2025 GEG Lusofonia Festival” at Taipa Houses concluded on Sunday, once again celebrating the culture of Portuguese-speaking communities in Macau through a vibrant programme of activities, cultural booths, gastronomy, dance, and music performances.
Over the six-day event, spanning two weekends, both local artistes and performers from Portuguese-speaking countries showcased their talents at the Amphitheatre of the Taipa Houses and Largo do Carmo. Performances included music and dance, while stalls at the Taipa Houses complex offered displays of arts and crafts, traditional attire, literature, and culinary delights from various regions.
Macau Anglican College’s Big Mac Band and the University of Macau Symphony Orchestra (UMSO), both of which I participated in this year, were among the featured local music groups in the 28th edition of the festival.* Led by conductor Ng Sa, both music groups made their second appearance at Lusofonia.
Big Mac Band
The Big Mac Band performed on the evening of October 26, delivering four big band classics with over 20 musicians. Their set included Fly Me to the Moon, ‘S Wonderful, and Rocky’s iconic theme tune Gonna Fly Now. The performance concluded with Joe Henderson’s renowned tune Recorda Me, which translates to “Remember Me” in Portuguese. Despite its brief 30-minute duration, the energetic and captivating performance earned enthusiastic applause from a diverse audience.
Post-performance, Ng Sa remarked, “Macau Anglican College provides exceptional music education, seamlessly integrated into the regular curriculum rather than confined to extracurricular activities. Since reviving the big band programme just two years ago, we have already witnessed remarkable progress from these young and gifted musicians. Last year, we performed on the side stage near the Taipa Houses, and this year, we’ve proudly made it to the Lusofonia main stage at the Amphitheatre. This achievement is a true testament to the dedication and talent of our students.”
UMSO
Last year, the University of Macau Symphonic Band, composed mainly of wind and percussion players, participated in the festival. This year, however, the University of Macau Symphony Orchestra (UMSO), featuring a complete string section, took the stage on Sunday with over 60 students performing a total of five pieces.
UMSO’s repertoire included orchestrated classics Cinema Paradiso and Pure Imagination, symphonic version of the Brazilian choro song Tico-Tico no Fubá, composed in 1917 by Zequinha de Abreu, as well as The Girl from Ipanema, sung by Brazilian vocalist Jandira Silva. The performance concluded with an encore of Taiwanese singer Jay Chou’s “Blue and White Porcelain”.
Post-performance, Ng Sa expressed, “With the addition of the string section this year, we are honoured to present orchestral music to the local community. It is important to note that none of our student players are music majors, as the University of Macau does not have a music faculty. However, our goal has always been to perform diversely at a professional level, and the enthusiastic response from the audience shows that we’ve achieved just that.”
The Portuguese term “Lusofonia” denotes the Portuguese-speaking world. When Portugal was still a province of the Roman Empire, it was known as Lusitania.
*https://macaupostdaily.com/news/23089
https://macaupostdaily.com/news/23160
Brazilian singer Jandira Silva (right) poses with local conductor Ng Sa after performing The Girl from Ipanema on Sunday evening at the Amphitheatre of the Taipa Houses. – Photo: David Hartung
Ng Sa conducts at Lusofonia on Sunday.
University of Macau Symphony Orchestra (UMSO) receives applause from the audience at Lusofonia on Sunday evening. – Photos provided by UMSO
The Big Mac Band performs at Lusofonia on the evening of October 26. – Photos provided by Big Mac Band
