A trajetória do músico Nelcy Vargas nos festivais nativistas do RS: uma pesquisa etnomusicológica

Abstract

This is a qualitative research which aims to understand the the musical trajectory of the musician Nelcy Vargas amid the Nativistas Festivals in the Rio Grande do Sul, Southern state of Brazil. Such festivals, which are about gaucho’s regional music competition, are events that often happen in the state region; Nelcy Vargas is an instrumentalist and a composer present in these festivals since 1980. In face of that, it can be asked: what would it be the path pursued as a musician who performs in these nativistas festivals? For the purpose of answering this question, from an ethnomusicologist guidance, the afore mentioned musician was interviewed. This research embodies the anthropologist Gilberto Velho’s theoretical propositions, understanding the musician’s trajectory as a project materialization, in face of a field of possibilities, as here understood the Rio Grande do Sul Nativistas festivals. This work presents a narrative on this festival-performer, Nelcy Vargas, musical path, including his familiar musical formation, appearance and performance as an instrumentalist and a composer in the nativistas festivals and, recently, as a music producer. Taking into account his musical choices, arrangements, partnerships and lessons learnt during his path, nativistas festivals are understood as a field of possibilities also consisting of tensions, gatherings and transformations, referring it to a metamorphosis; also, it reflects on his contribution while being involved with projects of other musician’s individual trajectories. In the art scientific context, trajectory studies are important, once they might unfold, from an artist life story, the social context dynamic that they belong to. Taking it into account, this research may incentive new case studies about musician’s trajectories in those nativistas festivals in the music field as well as in its subject matter.