Photo © Mónica Batista
The RAIA project, under the leadership of musician António Bexiga from Alentejo, presents itself as an artistic laboratory dedicated to the comprehensive exploration of the multiple sounds of the viola campaniça, navigating through its acoustic and electric, analog and digital, traditional and experimental frontiers. It stands out for its unique ability to manage composed passages and immerse in improvisations, crossing different approaches to musical creation. RAIA's openness to dialogue with other forms of art, be they visual or performative, further elevates this project.
António Bexiga has had a remarkable career, being an active member of projects like Uxu Kalhus and No Mazurka Band, and the founder of collectives such as Há Lobos Sem Ser na Serra and Bicho do Mato. Recently, he has recorded with renowned artists such as Kepa Junkera for Ath Thurda, Celina da Piedade, António Caixeiro, Cantadores de Paris, O Gajo, Omiri, O Místico Orfeão Sónico de Um Corpo Estranho, Satúrnia, and European Ghosts. Since 2021, he has been part of the Lusitanian Ghosts group and is a founding member of Cia Boa Companhia - Teatro Para Todos.
In the 20th edition of the Festival Med in 2024, RAIA proposes a concert-journey that begins in the acoustic landscapes of the south, leading the audience on a stimulating circumnavigation journey. This concert, characterized by a slow-paced progression through original compositions filled with disruptive elements harmonized with popular repertoires, is a distinctive hallmark of António Bexiga's art.
The performance, divided into two movements, showcases RAIA's viola campaniça either solo or in dialogue with the bass and double bass of musician and composer Marco Martins from Loulé, who is a special guest for this presentation.