Author: Wyetta Bontempo

Terry Cordas called on the women to close out the 10th edition of the Cordas World Music Festival with a very unusual edition of “Chamateia” (composed by Luís Alberto Bettencourt e António Melo e Sousa), that featured 6 different types of instruments. It was such a pleasure to work with Joana Alegre (Guitar), Monica Guilart (Portugûes Viola dos Corações), Maija Kauhanen (Finnish Kantele), Daniela Dahmen Quintas (violin), and Lu Yanan (Chinese Pipa). Chamateia is a majestic song that was written about the Azores, and everyone native to the islands has sung the song at least 1,000 times. But, this was the first time that it was ever performed with foreign instruments, and I think that it is safe to say that this was the first time that a Chinese Pipa, Indian Sarod or Finnish Kantele have ever appeared on stage together. It was indeed a unique rendering that left me with a permanent soft spot in my heart. What a great idea Terry! Thank you for suggesting this.

The Portugal News Article on Chamateia Performance

Lyrics to Chamateia
(composed by Luís Alberto Bettencourt e António Melo e Sousa: Translated into English)

In the cradle that the island holds
I drink the rhymes of this song
In the high sea of this land
Nothing the reason for my tears

But in the courtyard of life
Dinner serves as supper
And even the most felt pain
Gives way to the ‘chamateia’

Oh my love
Oh ‘chamarrita’
My solace, back and forth
I will embark on this dance
Tap dance, oh my love

If tap dancing doesn’t
Calm my restless soul
I’m up for whatever comes
In the turns of the ‘chamarrita’

‘Chamarrita’, tap dance
I want to contradict
The grip of this mist
That sometimes wants to overcome me

By the ninth day of the Cordas World Music Festival, everyone involved was on what some called “Hora de Ilha” or “Island Time”. It was hot that morning, and the clouds passed by quickly. One moment it was drizzling rain. The next the sun shone down. The humidity was relentless. I found myself sweating in my clothes before I departed my hotel room.

The Museu do Vinho (Madalena, Portugal) was a special space to offer a concert. The Museu is nestled within a former vineyard containing lots of small volcanic stone cubicles (very common on Pico Island) and quite a few ancient Dragoneira (Dargon’s Blood Trees). The stone building is small and old and most participants sat on the hardwood floor for the performance. On the walls were posters about growing grapes on the Azores, the history of Vinho Verde, and how to make wine from grapes.

Next Session: Cordas World Music Festival (Pico Island, Azores, Portugal) Chamateia – Auditório da Madalena Oct 11, 2025

I can’t thank Terry Costa enough for the opportunity to be an artist in residence for the 10th Edition of the Cordas World Music Festival, on Pico Island, one of the 9 islands of the Azores. Cordas means “strings” in Portuguese, so this was a stringed instrument gathering. In honor of the 10th edition, there were 10 days of music offered by musicians of all types, and I was honored to be a part of it.

My performance began at around 19:00 at the Biblioteca de Madalena (Library). As usual, I sat on the floor and was both physically and emotionally humbled by the audience seated in chairs in front of me. I was surrounded by posters explaining the history of the various ‘violas’ indigenous to the Azores, amongst them a poster honoring Miguel De Braga Pimentel, the great teacher of the Viola da Terra. The Legislative Assembly of the Azores had declared that Oct 2, 2025 was the Day of Viola Da Terra.

Given the time allowed, I offered a short rendering of Megh, hopefully enough to have shed some light on the magic of the humidity typically found in the Azores and the capacities of the sarod itself. To the best of my knowledge, this was the first time that a Sarod concert has ever been played at Cordas or on the Azores. I am honored to had this opportunity.

The Portugal News Article about the Biblioteca da Madalena Performance on Oct 2, 2025

Filamentos Article about the Biblioteca da Madalena Performance on Oct 2, 2025

World Music Central Article about Wyetta’s Performance on Oct 2, 2025

Next Session: Cordas World Music Festival – Museu do Vinho (Pico, Island, Azores, Portugal) October 9, 2025