UPA! is a musical group that uses the voice as its primary instrument. Founded in 2009, it
has 16 members and has the artistic conception and leadership of Federico Trindade. The
repertoire goes between Brazilian, Latin American and world music, through vocal
arrangements, body percussion, sometimes with percussion, guitar and cavaquinho, besides
improvisations and circle songs using the VOPA system.
Upon returning from Denmark, where he completed a master’s degree in “Music, Music
Education and Rhythmic Vocal Leadership (Innovative Choir Leading)”, by the Royal Academy
of Music of Denmark (RAMA), the UPA!’s founder and conductor – Federico Trindade, a
Uruguayan living in Porto Alegre – brought with him new project ideas. In the luggage, came
repertoire and ideas with strong personal references, original arrangements, vocal
experiments and improvisations.
This experience has already resulted in the praised show “Profanamente Sagrado” (in 2016,
2017 and 2019), with songs that represent the worldwide musical diversity and, through
different circular formations, literally engages the audience in the most different sounds;
and the colorful “Ao Vivo e em Cores” (in 2018), which presented the joy, the musicality, the
lightness and also the density of the universe of Brazilian Popular Music (MPB) and Latin
American, moving through rhythms such as ijexá, samba, maracatu, baião, salsa and zamba,
through arrangements of compositions by Gilberto Gil, Dominguinhos, Marisa Monte,
Eduardo Gudin, João Donato, Milton Nascimento, Maria Helena Walsh, Lenine, Djavan,
among others.
To celebrate the 10 year anniversary of UPA!, in 2019, with great pride and affection,
Federico Trindade and Juliana Figueiredo created ProJupa! – Project UPA!, which includes the
youth choir Upa! Jovem and the children’s choir Upita!, in addition to UPA!Lab, for people
over 25, Upita! Musicalization, UPA! Theory and Perception, UPA! Laboratory of Percussion
and Body Percussion for Choral Singing and another laboratory only for women.
The main objective is to fill a gap that has been observed in music education in Brazil, mainly
regarding the use of our primary instrument: the voice.
“Semillero” – as they say in Uruguay – is this place where we plant seeds so that they can
sprout, watered with affection and care.
With a cozy and inviting approach, which respects the potential and characteristics of each
student, ProJupa! is based on the aesthetic and pedagogical proposal of UPA!, and presents
different Brazilian Latin American and worldwide references for children, teenagers and
young adults to expand (what we call) their “toolbox” to make music and – why not? – to live
in society.
Conducting and artistic conception: Federico Trindade
Singers: Ambra Palazzi, Andrey Schoier, Angélica de Baumont, Clarissa de Baumont, Cris
Corrêa, Federico Trindade, Juliana Figueiredo, Manu Pavoni, Mariana Figueredo, Maria
Lina Guerreiro, Rafa Caporale, Ricardo Neme, Rubens Baggio, Tiago Fischer, Ticiana Cenci
and Valentina Trindade
Executive production: Juliana Figueiredo