About Mariana
Mariana Bruekers is a Brazilian flutist, singer-songwriter, and music educator with over 20 years of experience as a performer and teacher. She holds a Master's degree in Music Pedagogy from the Royal Conservatory of The Hague (Netherlands) and a Bachelor's degree in Music Education and Flute Performance from the Federal University of Minas Gerais (Brazil). Music is Mariana's primary language, a way of expressing, communicating, and connecting with the world. Teaching is one of her greatest joys, as it allows music to become a shared experience rather than a solitary one. Since 2007, she has been developing and refining her own teaching methodology, always adapting it to the individuality, goals, and background of each student. Currently, Mariana is traveling across the Americas, offering online lessons while actively engaging with musical cultures throughout South, Central, and North America, continuously enriching her artistic and pedagogical approach. Cultural Roots & Musical Style Brazilian music is at the heart of Mariana's work. Rich, diverse, and deeply rooted in history, Brazilian music encompasses more than 50 styles and traditions. Among them, Choro is the genre Mariana has specialized in and performed for over 20 years. Choro originated in 19th-century Rio de Janeiro and is considered the first characteristically Brazilian urban popular music genre. Born from the meeting of European musical forms and African rhythmic traditions, Choro is known for its: - Virtuosity - Improvisation - Subtle harmonic modulations - Syncopation and counterpoint This music demands technical precision while remaining deeply expressive and playful - qualities that strongly shape Mariana's teaching and artistic identity. Teaching Philosophy & Approach With formal training in pedagogy and decades of experience, Mariana has developed a personalised, flexible teaching methodology. Lessons are adapted to each student's age, level, musicial goals and personal interests. Rather than following a rigid formula, Mariana focuses on helping students find their own musical voice, using Brazilian music, especially Choro, as both a technical and expressive foundation. Her experience as a traveling musician, constantly learning from new cultures, brings a unique richness to each lesson.
What Mariana teaches
- Flute
- Brazilian music
- Pedagogy
- Choro
- Samba
- Bossa nova
- Forro
- MPB
Lessons with Mariana
- Teaches Flute · Brazilian Music
- Based in Belo Horizonte
- 20 years teaching
- Speaks Portuguese, English, Spanish