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the world music professionals directoryAna Rita Simonka
www.anaritasimonka
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Ana Rita Simonka
Contemporary Brazilian Music
Inspired by sacred music and ancient spiritual traditions, Ana Rita Simonka reveals a new world music style, so interesting and pioneering that is difficult to define; only after listening to her songs and arrangements that you can taste all the exoticism of this fusion that is really unique in contemporary Brazilian music. Simonka proposes a renewal of musical language showing that there is universal in music of all people. Writing innovative lyrics about spirituality and inner search, she sings a journey facing the essence of the soul, the Nature and the Sacred. Going deep inside the ecstasy, an exquisite mixture of rhythms, scales and attitudes spread out of the music itself : are you read to listen for the first time afro-grooves from Bahia mixed with the energetic folk Indian bajan ? Or a sensual bossa-nova beat with an Indian classic raga on the melody ? Simonka leads the audience into a mystic journey where Arabic maqan can be adorned with lyrics on Portuguese language and danced as a samba; Xamanic hymns from Amazonia can be put together with Sufi dancing routines; South American folk sonorities are recreated by the ancient language of mantras. Her arrangements are the same : Indian sitar with tamborins and pandeiros, Persian santur with congas, guitar and tablas, Celtic bodhran with Indian vocals, Brazilian viola with derbaque, Egyptian flutes with bombo-leguero from the Andes region. Using both acoustic and techno sonorities, Simonka reaches this "spiritual Brazilian-Universal pop alchemy" as a truly artisan master : she is singer, composer, and also proficient in various instruments.
Going far beyond the musical creativity, in the last twenty years Ana Rita Simonka has promoted a philosophical work in education and culture of peace, new consciousness and holistic lifestyle, improving Eastern-Western dialogue in an extremely unique way and frequently visiting Eastern Countries and institutes of Eastern Art in Europe. Researcher with a master degree in Communication & Arts by the Universidade de São Paulo and certificated as a Yoga Teacher by Kayvalyadham Institute - India, she has been invited to perform at major conferences, seminars and cultural activities in Brazil related to general improvement of healthy and quality of life, leading workshops and therapeutic activities. In recognition of her spiritual tendencies and wisdom, there are now so many new Brazilian world music groups saying that she is the main influence for them.
Some lines about her biography : the decisive artistic influence comes from her father, Mr. Pietro, who is a very traditional tango dancer in São Paulo. Mr. Pietro's home used to be a meeting place of consecrated Brazilian artists like Papete, Muri Costa, Trio Mocotó, Jorge Costa, Conductor Benedito Costa, Toninho Neto, and so many others. The frequent "saraus" ( traditional Brazilian parties like jazz-sessions ) had no time to end. In so spontaneous atmosphere, Ana Rita studied classic guitar, jazz, bossa-nova, folk rhythms and afro-Brazilian percussion, and of course, Latin Dances. These so rich experiences gives to Ana Rita basis to explore a great diversity of music and dance, but she never abandoned her roots. Professionally, she started as a teenager singing in night-clubs, cafés, and music festivals in high school, and also teaching music and dance. Starting to practice Yoga and Belly Dance when she was very young, Ana Rita realized that the spirituality that is the essence of Eastern meditation arts can be found every time when someone goes into creative activities - and that changed her vision definitively.
Arte Simbolo Agency
Ten years ago, in order to promote cultural exchange, courses and holistic art, Ana Rita Simonka and her husband Carlos Estevão Simonka, who is a biologist and scientific illustrator, created together the Arte Simbolo Agency, focusing Eastern-Western relationships, Art and Meditation, and spiritual solutions for the New Age times. Despite the huge difficulty of keeping an independent studio in Brazil, Simonka couple has kept their production completely on their own, with no sponsors, just for the sake of love for Art and Phylosophy. They produced three CDs : "Bossa Nova Delhi", and the collection "Mantra / One" and "Mantra / Two".
Radio Simonka News
In 2009, feeling that was really necessary to create a new route in Brazil for sharing selected artists who has been doing music with the same purposes, Ana Rita Simonka created the independent Radio Simonka News, the first web-radio in Brazil exclusively devoted to experimental, sacred music, new age, ethno fusion and meditation, a complete on line magazine with reviews, interviews and Mp3 tracks to people interested in inner awakening.
