The Orquestra Tocá Rufar is an artistic and socio-cultural project in the field of music founded in 1996 and based in Seixal. From this group, a team has now come into existence that is setting off the “conquer” the Algarve.

Tocá Rufar set the challenge and the Councils of Tavira and Vila Real de Santo António accepted it, and have already signed agreements with the organisation which aims to hold workshops and training and establish a percussion orchestra in the Algarve.

Margarida Morais, who will coordinate the project in the Algarve together with Tiago Rêgo, explained to the Algarve Observer that anyone who is interested can participate, with no age limit.

Margarida said that training in the orchestra is outside school and for this reason anyone can participate. She said that rehearsals would be held on Saturdays at times yet to be decided, and she added that anyone from anywhere in the Algarve could sign up, they did not necessarily have to be from Tavira or Vila Real de Santo António.

Margarida said that registration, rehearsals and access to instruments was free; she said that it was the local authorities that had been prepared to invest in purchasing the necessary instruments.

The trainer Tiago Rêgo, a professional musician, will be coordinating and guiding the workshops in the schools.

In Tavira, the schools included in the agreement are all the Escolas Básicas 2+3 and the Escola Secundária Dr. Jorge Correia. In Vila Real de Santo António the workshops will take place in the First Cycle schools of Ensino Básico.

Despite the fact that the group is based in Seixal, Tocá Rufar will have a branch in the Algarve.

The chosen location is the Tavira Transport Coordination Centre and the opening of the venue will take place on 1st October at midday, in the presence of Rui Júnior, mentor of the whole project.

Registration for the Tocá Rufar – Algarve Orchestra can be done from 1st October at the group’s regional branch.

source: Algarve Observer