A new cultural studio named ‘Luz Cultura’ has opened in the heart of Praia da Luz, aiming to provide a place where people of all ages, nationalities, backgrounds and beliefs can connect through “art and expression”.
It has been founded by Luiza Dedisin, an experienced and talented musician who has performed all over Europe.
One of the studio’s main calling cards will be the opportunity to learn the Portuguese language as well as the country’s history using music as the main tool.
The studio’s first project, however, will be ‘Summer Talent Camps’ for children aged between five and 12 starting in July, which will include masterclasses in music, visual arts, crafts, dance and theatre – all taught by professionals. The goal is to “help them discover what their talents are”.
There will be a grand finale on the last day that will encourage children to “showcase their talent(s) through a concert and/or exhibition”.
Alongside the summer camps, Luz Cultura will be offering piano and singing lessons for adults and children. The next step will be to start a choir both in English and Portuguese.
“I would also like to use music as a tool to teach the Portuguese language and culture, as I grew up here in Portugal,” Luiza, originally from Moldova, says.
“I would like to put together a group of people who want to learn the language and who like singing. The goal is to learn the most iconic Portuguese songs and the story behind them. For example, the best way to learn about the April 25 Revolution in 1974 and what it meant to the Portuguese people is through the songs of Zeca Afonso, which are incredibly beautiful and meaningful.
“Since medieval times and surely even before that, music has been used as a tool to memorise texts by the people who could not read or write. So, learning Portuguese songs can help enrich the vocabulary and memorise the words which are the most difficult to remember, by giving them context, both cultural and musical,” she adds.
The studio also expects to host workshops, exhibitions and even small events or performances.
“We invite any creative to come and explore the space and its possibilities. Luz Cultura strives to become an artistic reference in the Algarve and is eager to host various creatives of all art forms. The Algarve is full of creative and talented people, and we hope that Luz Cultura can be a place to bring all these people together,” says Luiza, who had been planning to open a cultural studio for some time.
“Certainly, the pandemic challenged us all and made us rethink the way we were living our lives. This project has been an old wish, as old as I can remember, which during the pandemic developed inside me so much that it outgrew me. The uncertainty and sadness that the pandemic brought in our lives just made me go for it, now,” she explains.
“I always dreamt of creating a venue which inspires people to learn from each other’s differences and use those for a common purpose – to create beauty; a place where people from different demographics, backgrounds, and beliefs can connect through art and freedom of expression and it’s happening in Praia da Luz!”
Luz Cultura is located in the centre of Praia da Luz on Rua da Praia. You can learn more about its activities by visiting its Facebook page ‘Luz Cultura’
+351 911 577 743 | [email protected]
About Luiza Dedisin
Luiza started playing the piano when she was just six in Moldova. She moved to Portugal with her family when she was 13 and resumed her Piano Bachelor’s degree at Lisbon’s School of Music. Years later, she also obtained a Master’s degree with distinction in the Voice course at Conservatorium van Amsterdam in Netherlands.
At the age of 21, she sang in front of 30,000 people at Portugal’s Avante Festival. She has also sung at the opening of the Akoestikum Cultural Centre in Netherlands, attended by King Willem-Alexander, as well as at the Belém Cultural Centre in Lisbon during Pope Benedict XVI’s visit to Portugal in 2010.
Luiza also had lessons with some big names from Ira Siff of the Metropolitan Opera and Marlena Malas from Juilliard School of Music and Manhattan School of Music to Lucy Arner, Liora Maurer and Helmut Deutsch.
She was also a member of the Gulbenkian Choir, having performed throughout Europe.
By MICHAEL BRUXO
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