NHANDERÚ pronounced (/nyuh.dey.roo/) means "God" in Tupi-Guarani, which is a subfamily of the Tupian languages spoken by a group of indigenous peoples living in areas of the Amazon basin. Natives from Tupi-Guarani tribes, like many other societies, often practiced a ritual called rainmaking, (or rain dance) which is intended to invoke rain through prayer.  During the ceremony, they summoned spirits of the land as well as their ancestors to bring in the rain so as to ensure soil fertility, abundant harvest and to frighten away the spirits of the lost world. In most rituals, the "dancers" embody one or more spirits (a higher power) that is expressed through rhythmic gestures and movements.  In addition to chanting, some instruments such as rattles of various sizes and types, flutes and drums, are used.  Legends has it that the rain provoked by the ritual, holds the spirits of ancient chiefs. When the water droplets begin to fall, it sets off a great battle between our reality and the spiritual world.

The composition NHANDERÚ bases itself on the connection between the material and the unseen worlds, with focus on ritualistic practices through faith, prayer and gratitude. As with any musical work, it can be interpreted in many different ways.  However, my work tends to be quite visual and I usually like to imagine vivid scenarios, which inspire me create a stronger sense of and timing. Programatic in nature, the piece develops narratively, and is a musical portrait of a rain dance ritual from beginning to end.  It is divided in four main parts. The beginning, (awakening), the development section (summoning/rainfall/gratitude) and the coda, which is a return to the beginning, in a cyclical form, which creates a parody between water cycle and the cycle of life. To create a vivid listening experience, the score calls for vocalizing, finger snapping, clapping, body tapping and percussion instruments which imitate sounds of nature.