Ian Coury (10-string bandolim) and Catherine Bent (cello) met in September 2021 in Boston, Mass, and felt an instant musical connection. They share a love of choro and of other styles radiating from this early Brazilian genre: forró, samba, MPB (Música Popular Brasileira). In addition to original compositions, they revel in learning and arranging music of many great Brazilian composers, in a unique spirit and instrumentation.
Ian Coury, from Brasília, Brazil, began his musical journey at the age of 7, learning to play drums, guitar, and cavaquinho. After an encounter with the music of the great Brazilian mandolinist Armandinho Macedo, the mandolin (bandolim) became his great love. Encouraged by Macedo, his teacher Marcelo Lima at the Raphael Rabello School of Choro, and the master bandolinist Hamilton de Holanda, Ian began to hone his art. By 11, he was sharing the stage with de Holanda, and at 12 performed with Macedo and had a solo show at the renowned Clube do Choro in his home city of Brasília. At 13 he switched from the 8-string to the 10-string bandolim. It’s not surprising, then, that Ian’s attraction to choro—a virtuosic music that lends itself to improvisation—led him to Boston’s Berklee College of Music, where he attended a summer program and is now a second-year student. He has appeared in magazines dedicated to choro music, participated in international festivals and conferences, and shared the stage with world-renowned Latin American jazz musicians like Paquito D’Rivera, Claudio Roditi, and Toninho Horta, in addition to his choro mentors. At 20, Ian is already far along on what Marcelo Lima called his “brilliant path,” one that is allowing him to share his phenomenal talent and the great joy he takes in bringing Brazilian instrumental music to all.
Catherine Bent, originally from London, England, began forging her unique voice on the cello in the crucible of New York’s Downtown music scene, while pursuing a freelance career ranging from opera to rap to Cirque du Soleil. Lee Konitz, Joe Jackson, Kanye West, Merce Cunningham Dance Company, Patty Larkin, and Enya are a few of the many artists she has performed, recorded, and toured with, while also initiating many other creative projects and collaborations. Catherine holds a Masters Degree from New England Conservatory, and she is Associate Professor at Berklee College of Music. Catherine’s fluency in the repertoire and language of Brazilian music has led to her recognition as a unique cello master of choro. On her many visits to Brazil, she has appeared numerous times on Radio Nacional as a guest soloist with Jacob do Bandolim’s legendary band Conjunto Época de Ouro. She has performed all over Brazil in concert halls and festivals, as well as many spontaneous late nights in the roda de choro. Her album “Ideal”, recorded in Rio de Janeiro and released worldwide in 2018, features Catherine’s compositions in a variety of Brazilian styles. She is also a member of the Macayú Trio, Elis & Catherine, Trio de Janeiro, and the Cayú Duo.
https://linktr.ee/catherinebentmusic www.catherinebent.com www.tinyurl.com/courybent