Whether they're young people, adults or seniors, everyone can take part in "Sounds of the Neighbourhood" and discover the artist in them. The project, promoted by the Municipality of Famalicão, has been active for about a year and already brings together 20 young people and adults from the municipality of Famalicão.
The "Sounds of the Neighbourhood" music studios - one of which was recently set up in the Cal municipal development - have already been used by children, mothers, music lovers and young people who sing and who were unaware of this feat. Guided by Franklin Monteiro, also known as Francão, and João Costa, the participants find "Sounds of the Neighbourhood" an opportunity to interact with other artists, share knowledge and produce their own compositions.
This was the case with João, 25, from the parish of Ruivães, who heard about the project from a neighbour. The piece he recorded can be heard over the studio speakers. "In music, the more we share with each other, the better, because nobody makes good music alone," he says. Here, everyone has very different styles - which inspires and motivates João. "By mixing, we always gain a little."
François, 45, is a musician. Teaching others about the power of music is nothing new to him. He's been working in municipal housing estates for 12 years and helping others to get to know different styles of music. "I worked on percussion in the Cal housing estate and we developed a group," he explained. As time went by, the group changed: "the kids grew up", some got married or moved away and stopped taking part, others stayed on, and the musician decided to explore recording and producing compositions with those who remained.
It was based on this work with the housing estates that the City Council decided to launch the "Sounds of the Neighbourhood" project.
The project was actually born within the housing estates, in the neighbourhoods of the municipality, but "it's open to everyone", explains technician João Costa. "Normally, people from the neighbourhood go to drink resources from the outside community. This time it's the community that's coming to the urbanisations for resources." And this is how the initiative's main objective is achieved: to empower the neighbourhoods.
It was "Sounds of the Neighbourhood" that brought Tó closer to music. In the past, the 42-year-old Cal resident gave concerts and even published an album. However, he ended up moving away from the stage. Now, after a lifetime, he's back to doing what he loves: singing.
As well as recording his compositions, 18-year-old Lucas is beginning his artistic training with the project. He already wrote and rhymed, but only now is he consolidating his learning. "There are lots of people here, from different cultures, with experience and I can just pick up ideas that would take years and years for other artists to come up with," he admits. Lucas also develops other skills with "Sounds of the Neighbourhood". "Being a musician involves a lot of responsibility, a lot of focus. Being a musician means you have to know yourself. And if I develop my musical character with what I learn, I'll be able to be a successful artist."
"Much of what we listen to and enjoy is born in the neighbourhoods and these places are not enjoying the fruits that these sounds provide because of social discrepancies," explains Francão.
Today, the project already brings together "more people from outside" than from the neighbourhood itself. "We're demystifying the idea that the neighbourhood only has negative aspects," says João Costa. There are currently 20 people who want to create and explore the potential of music in Famalicão. Initially, the participants only met and worked in the professional recording studio at the Casa da Juventude. Now, they will be able to record compositions in the music studio that is being created in the Urbanisation of Cal.
The Mayor, Mário Passos, explains "Sounds of the Neighbourhood" was designed to reduce inequalities, promote integration and inclusion, strengthen community ties and promote respect for cultural diversity. "It's with projects like this that we can achieve a more socially cohesive, fair, inclusive and integrated world," he adds.