Bossa Nova Sinfónico & TOCA Culture: Resounding Success in Havana
The sun had not risen on the morning of May 11th when Robson Coccaro, President of TOCA Culture, was already being interviewed by Univision Television Network at Miami International Airport about the upcoming performance of Bossa Nova Sinfónico in Havana. The interview session culminated with an impromptu rendition of Girl from Ipanema by vocalist Rose Max to the delight of the airport staff, the press and dozens of travelers who broke into applause. Bossa Nova Sinfónico is an ode to Brazilian music, an homage to the legendary Antonio Carlos Jobim, one of the 20th-century’s most admired composers. It features the classic Brazilian jazz quintet format in tandem with a symphonic orchestra. The glorious sounds of Jobim’s compositions come to life through the voice of Rose Max, accompanied by Ramatis Moraes (guitar), Mike Orta (piano), Carlomagno Araya (drums) and Jamie Ousley (bass), all under the direction of conductor Jeremy Fox. The project has been presented in Costa Rica and Mexico, was nominated for a Latin Grammy, and received the Brazilian Press Award for Album of the Year. Jeremy Fox conducts Cuba’s National Symphony Orchestra for Bossa Nova Sinfónico The cultural immersion of TOCA Culture’s entourage of artists and VIP sponsor guests began as soon as we arrived in Havana. The group seemed overwhelmed by the colors, textures, sounds, and architecture of the city, a grand old dame that has been given a second chance to shine. Our first stop was the classic Café del Oriente in San Francisco Square. It was a time to take in the city’s vibe and get ready for an unforgettable four-day musical journey. Havana, cradle of Cuban music and culture Bossa Nova Sinfónico was selected to perform at the Inaugural Gala of Cuba Disco 2016, Cuba’s premier music industry event, which was celebrating its 20th anniversary. As we approached the theater for our first rehearsal, TOCA’s staff had been prepped by our Cuban counterparts for a simple session without much expectation. But as the first chord made its way through the theater halls, everyone sensed that the concert would be a success. One of the most emotional moments came during the first rehearsal when both the orchestra and the quintet realized they were a perfect fit. Everything was fluid. Maestro Enrique Pérez Mesa, Director of Cuba’s National Symphony Orchestra—and the most gracious host—said, “the music of Cuba and Brazil—and their cultures in general—share the same roots: Yoruba African slaves and colonizers from the Iberian Peninsula.” These historical ties manifest themselves through parallel cultural landscapes that understand each other without speaking the same language. Rose Max and Bobby Carcasses, who was instrumental in presenting Bossa Nova Sinfónico in Cuba. It was most gratifying to observe as new relationships and friendships were born between the musicians, producers, event organizers, and staff in general. And our project lives on through the national broadcast on Cuban television of the concert, and will spread beyond the Island as TOCA Culture identifies global broadcast partners for the project. There could not be a better example of real People-to-People exchange. The concert was broadcast on Cuban National television on June 4th. Bossa Nova Sinfónico was presented to a full crowd at Teatro Nacional de Cuba in Havana. Between rehearsals, the group explored Havana’s neighborhoods, from the baroque palaces and squares of Old Havana to the dive bars in Centro Habana as well as the theaters and restaurants in posh Miramar. The Bossa Nova Sinfonicogroup met more musicians in the streets and were invited to play in some descargas with local bands. As a prelude to the main concert, part of the quintet (Rose, Ramatis, and Jamie) had the opportunity to present a concert at the Centro Hispanoamericano de la Cultura—a gorgeous neoclassical building along the Malecón— sharing the stage with the renowned vocal ensemble, Schola Cantorum Coralina. Under the direction of Dra. Alina Orraca, the ensemble performed a program of Cuban traditional classics with perfect pitch. Meanwhile, Rose Maxdelighted the audience with Brazilian standards preceded by a lovely children’s choir. A few tears were shed by some members of the public as children and adult choral members joined Rose on stage for a resounding finale. Rose Max and Ramatis share the stage with the renowned vocal ensemble, Schola Cantorum Coralina at Centro Hispanoamericano de Cultura. Front row from left to right: Mike Orta, Jamie Ousley, Jeremy Fox, Carlomagno Araya, Rose Max, and Ramatis Moraes. Rose Max, Carlomagno Araya (project founder), and Robson Coccaroparticipated in a press conference that drew almost 60 national and international media outlets. The trio charmed the press with their genuine words of gratitude and admiration for the Cuban musicians, people, and culture. When the day of the concert arrived, all the musicians were relaxed, as when one knows things will go well. Bossa Nova Sinfónico was the first half of the gala and Max’s renditions of Jobim‘s songs grabbed the audience from the first note. The Cuban audience is extremely knowledgeable of Brazilian music and at times sang along, even danced in the aisles to the melodies and rhythms emanating from the stage during the final selection. The performance was received by two standing ovations, interrupted only by an interpretation of Mas Que Nada which brought the house down in a palpable celebration of the best in popular music. The second half of the program was entrusted to the singer/songwriter Raúl Torres, author of classic pieces such as Candíl de Nieve, and Se Fue. The great Vania Borges, a sultry chanteuse with a velvety voice was his guest. And so Cuba Disco 2016 was inaugurated. Granma International said in its art column, “The excellence, beauty and quality of the work of Tom Jobim, performed by the Bossa Nova Sinfónico quintet together with the Cuban National Symphony Orchestra, provided a high degree of distinction to the Inaugural Gala of the 20th CUBADISCO International Festival”. ACN (Agencia Cubana de Noticias) echoed Rose Max’s feelings about her stay in Cuba. “Being in Cuba is a great dream”, said the vocalist, “as a child I always heard about the quality of Cuban musicians, and as soon as we started rehearsing we were captivated by the warmth and talent of
Color in Design
One of the most important elements in creating a specific ambiance is how we use color. Whether in the home, for a party, a conference, or in advertising, selection of the right colors is key in creating the right emotion. Color activates the emotions To most of us, specific colors evoke certain feelings, even if we don’t realize this on a conscious level. Take the color red. Red can be understood as sexy, passionate, warm, inviting, positive, sophisticated, and sometimes dangerous. We often associate green with tranquility, warmth, and renewal, as well as with money and thus prosperity. Black is dramatic when placed in the right context, and white always depicts purity, cleanliness, and clarity. At TOCA Events, we are acutely aware of how important color combinations are for creating the right tone for a specific event. For us, understanding the type of impact our clients wish to create, as well as the results they hope to achieve, is the basic key to creating an environment that works. In this regard, choosing the right colors is the absolute foundation for transmitting the feeling that clients wish to evoke for their attendees. There is a very specific vocabulary of color, which starts with the color wheel. Thanks to the work of Sir Isaac Newton, who discovered that colors formed a spectrum after bending light through a prism, we have the circular color wheel that starts with red and goes to orange, yellow, green, blue, purple, and then back to red. The wheel consists of primary, secondary, and tertiary colors, where primary colors can be mixed together to create secondary colors, which in turn can be mixed together to create tertiary colors. The wide variety of color schemes makes for a wonderful opportunity to find just the right hues for every emotion, which is something any artist will tell you. Along with color combining, there is color saturation, which is the purity or brightness of a color. When it is clear and bright, it is considered highly saturated. When there is a more muted tone, it is considered to be less saturated. We also can talk about tone, which is when colors are modified by the addition of white or black. Here light tones or tints are created by mixing a given color with white, while dark shades are made with gray or black. Combining colors and paying attention to saturation and tone is what creates optimum impact when creating an event. Our job at TOCA Events is to identify the mood and then follow suit with colors that work well for the message. Through good planning, the right colors will impact ideas, messages, interest, and emotion, which all come together to make a statement that works with subtle strength. A TOCA we are intrigued by both the science and art of using color. We are fascinated by the way colors are made, as well as what color symbolizes, and recognize what a powerful tool color is in changing the way we think, act, and react. Playing a vital role in our world, color has the power to soothe or irritate, calm our appetite or raise our blood pressure, change the look of an ordinary space, and define who you are or what you represent. Through the right use of color, we can create an instant change in perception. At TOCA, we believe that finding the right colors to express the personality and intention of the moment is an art form, which adds another dimension to the pleasure we get in working with our clients to create an environment that is consistent with the unspoken message within their event. www.tocaevents.com
TOCA’s Unique Sports Marketing Solutions
Most sports fans show up at an event to enjoy the game and to add their energy to help their team win. The focus is on the action, and all the rest is usually taken for granted. Creating a good sporting event is an art form, with many different pieces that go into framing the event in order to make it a memorable and exciting experience for everyone involved. Creating the Ideal Fit The sporting industry requires a special eye to marketing. We are proud of our team of TOCA professionals who are able to work hand in hand with clients in order to create the perfect fit for each event. Making Every Experience One to Remember At TOCA, our goal is to make every event we produce an experience that people will enjoy to the fullest and remember for a long time to come. In service to our clients, we make sure that what we add helps to articulate the brand, inspiring and building recognition and customer loyalty every step of the way. Bringing An Event to Life Having produced sporting events at regional, national, international levels, we consider ourselves experts at creating customized solutions for every possible situation. We love the challenge of collaborating with our clients to explore innovative strategies that bring an event to life. Some of Our Favorite Events Some of our favorite events of the past have been creating critical elements for SONY Open Tennis and the BCS College Football Championship Game. And of course, with one of our main offices based in Rio de Janeiro, we always enjoy working with clients there, such as the Confederation Cup and FIFA World Cup, and we’re absolutely thrilled about being a part of the Rio Summer Games coming up in 2016. New Contracts Currently TOCA’s focus is on the new contracts that are keeping us busy as we enter the new year. In the initial process of envisioning plans for each one, here just a few of the things we’re up to: We just received a three year contract with Banco Itau International to produce their experiential marketing component at the Miami Open. With Toca’s Co-Director, Sean Gibbons wielding his racquet on the court whenever he gets the chance, there is no question that this is a perfect fit. Presented by Itau, the contract covers the event for 2015, 2016, 2017, which puts us right in our sweetspot! Another contract we recently signed is once again with Univision to produce their Fieston 2015 events. These will be hosted in Los Angeles in February, Houston in August, Chicago in April, and Dallas in October. The focus is around Liga MX, the Mexican Soccer League, where we expect an attendance of over 8,000 guests! Loving What We do Working to create sports marketing solutions is as exciting as you can imagine. Bringing our clients’ visions to life by carefully honing a solid strategy is extremely satisfying, especially as the project approaches its final form. Experiencing the end product with fans who not only engage with their team, but also feel the vibe that we’ve helped create becomes the absolute topping on the cake. And this is why we love what we do! Contact Us For more information on sports marketing solutions, contact us today: www.tocaevents.com
The Fine Art of Event Lighting
Lighting creates an atmosphere. When it’s right, it ignites the emotions, sets the mood, and offers direction. Just think of the full moon in a midnight sky shining over a lake. Creating the ultimate romantic setting, it also asks us to look out at the world as we connect with the beauty of nature. Making an Idea Come Alive When it comes to an event, lighting is a powerful design tool that can make an idea come alive. At TOCA, our goal is to create a lighting scheme that is in tune with the surroundings, whether it is used for general illumination, or as an accent or decorative element. When lighting can be layered, using all of the above, the perfect ambiance can be achieved as all falls into harmony. Different Kinds of Lighting General lighting fills up a particular space with overall visibility, such as when we turn a light switch on to see what’s in a room. Accent lighting is directed at a specific area, where we want to direct attention to a particular object or objects. Decorative lighting comes in the form of varying types of small lighting devices, such as table lamps, wall sconces, and even candles. Outdoor Illumination Often we are asked to create exterior lighting, especially when we want to add character to a specific area. This type of lighting can be quite crucial to an event where activities are going on outdoors, as the direction of light will instruct guests where they should be, encouraging them to enjoy certain areas rather than others. Outdoor lighting opens up an event even as it creates a contained atmosphere. It also ensures a safe space for guests, providing them with confidence to see in the dark. Opening Up and Defining Space Our TOCA lighting experts are always looking for the ideal way to open up and define space, whether it is an outdoor or indoor venue. Highlighting installations while also providing the right amount of light to get the most out of photography for a special event is crucial. Impacting the Quality of an Event Good lighting will always impact the quality of an event. A good lighting designer will first assess the possibilities in a given environment and then go to work to find just the right combination of direct and ambient elements. LEDs One of our favorite sources of light comes from LED lighting, which has really taken off as a way to illuminate events over the past several years. In the beginning, using LEDs was expensive and not so easy to control. This has all changed as the art and science of LED illumination has evolved. The beauty of LEDs is that their color output is absolutely terrific for achieving optimum impact. And because they never get hot, they are so much safer to use than conventional lights, eliminating risk at events. LEDs also consume a fraction of the energy generated by traditional incandescent lights, allowing for a longer life and more efficient power requirements. Reducing the Carbon Footprint One of the best aspects of using LED lighting is that they help reduce the carbon footprint, which is what we at TOCA stand for as we seek out the most environmentally sound practices for every event we create. Providing Our Clients with the Best Atmosphere At TOCA, we hold the art of illumination in high regard as we strive to give our clients the very best atmosphere in which to hold their event, no matter if it is a corporate get-together, an art opening, a sporting extravaganza, or a gala party. Contact Us For more information please contact us at: www.tocaevents.com
How to plan an event
How to plan an event A DAY IN THE LIFE OF AN EVENT COMPANY In this article we show you how to plan an event. Creating an event is a many layered thing. No company knows this better than TOCA. From sports hospitality to experiential activities, corporate incentive settings, sponsor-based fabrications, and more, our mission is to construct a unique and exciting experience for everyone involved. Capturing the Client For the TOCA team, creating an event is all about communication. Our success begins the moment we start building a relationship with our clients. Of paramount importance, we get to the heart of what they wish to achieve and what they hope their attendees will take away once the event is over. If you want to know how to plan an event, pay attention. This the key to penetrating the desires of our clients. We make it our business to set up a comfortable and open dialogue where we can pinpoint the essence and spirit of the event at hand, enabling us to ultimately create the perfect blueprint for a successful experience. Creating the Proposal Once we understand the needs and objectives of our prospective client, we go to work on the proposal. This is where we cover all the necessary elements in how to plan an event, such as: transport security staffing hotels business sessions 3-D imaging and animation break-out components such as small meetings, coaching sessions, and the like activities team building entertainment evening receptions dine arounds where clients can feel the pulse of the city daytime activities spouse programs After determining exactly what is needed, we submit our user-friendly package with descriptions, graphics, and an itemized budget. Shifting Into Gear Once the client signs off on our proposal, we then move on to pre-production mode, shifting into high creative gear where each of our departments addresses their respective area of expertise. Keeping in mind the necessary calls to action that are essential to our client’s campaign, this is where the collaborative process is at its highest pitch. It is at this point that our team comes together to create the final design, with suggestions and revisions resulting from the synergy of TOCA’s collective creative vision. The Critical Path Mapping the progress of our productions and staying true to our critical path is where all of the details combine with the bigger picture. Having carefully defined each of the many and diverse moving parts that make up an event, we are now ready to mobilize onsite production and organization, which includes our vendors, set designers, stage direction for business meetings, entertainment talent …and so much more. The Psychology Behind a Great Event Creating a great event has to do with psychology. At TOCA, our passion is to put everyone involved deep inside an exceptional experience, no matter what the content. Once we understand what our client hopes to achieve, we direct all of our moving parts into action to fully and effectively fulfill that vision. And with a cross-cultural team that includes creative minds and designers from the United States, Brazil, Asia, and Europe, we are proud of a staff that is sensitive to the nuances of varying cultures. This ensures that every event is created with a tone that is always right. The Arc and Balance of the TOCA Touch Because every TOCA event is custom designed, we take the time to configure the perfect arc and balance between business-related activities and diversion. And of course, we are always in service to our client’s image, making sure that the messaging, branding, and scripting is all of one piece. Working closely with our clients’ leadership, our job is to make their vision a reality, always with the unique and exciting TOCA touch. Contact Us For more information, take a look at our website at: www.tocaevents.com/contact-us