Key Takeaways
Created with AI - we're still experimenting, so apologies if it misses the mark
- Whose Music Is It, a new Radio MEC series premiering on March 15th, highlights lesser-known Brazilian composers behind famous tunes and features a variety of marches and sambas.
- The premiere episode focuses on Haroldo Barbosa, showcasing 16 of his songs performed by Os Cariocas and stars like Nora Ney and Elizeth Cardoso.
- The series is accessible on multiple platforms including radio, the EBC Radio app, live streaming on Radio MEC’s website, Spotify, YouTube, Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp.
- This five-part series is led by Ruy Castro, known for his works on cinema, literature, and music, who aims to give credit to composers whose songs are famous but they themselves are not.
Recommended products
This page contains affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate, we earn a commission from purchases made through these links.
Premiering on Radio MEC this Sunday, March 15th, at 10 PM, Whose Music Is It, a new five-part, hour-long series led by Ruy Castro, explores Brazil’s musical history and highlights the often-unrecognized composers behind famous tunes. The series spotlights Brazilian artists such as Haroldo Barbosa, Luiz Antonio, Antonio Maria, and pianists Alcyr Pires Vermelho and Newton Mendonca, some of whom created classics while remaining largely unknown. The Radio MEC series Whose Music Is It (or De Quem é a Música) blends hit songs and narratives from Castro’s Who Owns the Music documentary, co-hosted by Heloisa Seixas and Julia Romeu. The series title is derived from a shortened version of “Samba de Orfeu” by Antonio Maria and Luiz Bonfa. Castro aims to give credit to the composers whose songs are famous, even if they themselves are not.
The show features a variety of marches and sambas. The premiere episode focuses on Haroldo Barbosa, featuring 16 of his songs performed by Os Cariocas and stars like Nora Ney and Elizeth Cardoso, including tunes such as “Our Moments” and “Farewell, America.” Later episodes include Luiz Antonio’s socially conscious sambas like “Lata Dagua,” Antonio Maria’s classics like “Morning of Carnival,” Alcyr Pires Vermelho’s hits like “Tictac Of My Heart,” and Newton Mendonca’s collaborations with Tom Jobim, such as “Offkey.” De Quem e a Musica, led by Ruy Castro with Heloisa Seixas and Julia Romeu, is accessible on multiple platforms, including radio, the EBC Radio app, and live streaming on Radio MEC’s website. Similar to other series from Castro, each episode opens with a complete recording of the featured song—in this case, “Samba de Orfeu” by Antonio Maria and Luiz Bonfa, as performed by Paul Desmond’s orchestra.
Several other music shows launched on Radio MEC in 2025, including Sambajazz in January, A Music of Carnival in February, To the Sound of Boleros and Tangos in April, and Orlando Silva, The Singer of the Masses in May. In August, Radio MEC celebrated Tom Jobim with Tom Jobim: The Censor of Brazil, a special series based on Castro’s book, which won the Jabuti Prize 2025 award for Book of the Year. October 2025 saw the launch of Spoken Writing and Minimal Tales, a series of brief, humorous pieces by Castro and Seixas, as well as Cinema Music, exploring film soundtracks with a focus on Brazilian and European cinematic compositions. Ruy Castro began his career as a reporter in Rio de Janeiro in 1967 and transitioned to writing books in 1988, publishing his debut, Chega de Saudade, in 1990. He has since written biographies of Nelson Rodrigues, Garrincha, and Carmen Miranda, along with novels and works on cinema and literature. Castro received the Machado de Assis Prize from Brazil’s Academy of Letters in 2021 and was elected to Seat 13 the following year.
Exploring Brazil’s Musical Heritage with Ruy Castro – Radio MEC’s New Series in March on Multiple Platforms
Whose Music Is It can be accessed via the EBC Radio app, Radio MEC’s website, Spotify, YouTube, Facebook, Instagram, or WhatsApp at (21) 99710-0537. It can also be found at the following FM and AM frequencies: Rio de Janeiro: 99.3 MHz FM / 800 KHz AM Belo Horizonte: 87.1 MHz FM / 800 KHz AM Brasilia: 87.1 MHz FM / 800 KHz AM Satellite users can tune in via Star One C2 at 3748.00 MHz (Service 3). For online access, visit https://ebc.com.br/imprensa/2026/serie-de-quem-e-a-musica-apresentada-por-ruy-castro-estreia-na-radio-mec-em-marco. With its exploration of Brazilian musical history, this series promises to be insightful and engaging for music lovers.
In Case You Missed It
Speaking of paradigm shifts in gaming, have you checked out Marcus Thompson’s latest piece on Players for Life? In his March 12th article, ‘Microsoft Quietly Discontinues ‘This is an Xbox’ Campaign,’ he delves into the recent restructuring at Xbox that led to the discontinuation of their ‘This is an Xbox’ campaign. This strategic shift under new head Asha Sharma marks a return to a hardware-focused approach, leaving some employees with mixed feelings about the brand’s evolution Microsoft Quietly Discontinues ‘This is an Xbox’ Campaign. Meanwhile, as we continue to champion diversity and representation in gaming, Jonathan Dubinski’s latest piece on Players for Life is a must-read. Published just before International Women’s Day, “On Their Sights: Live Podcast Highlights Female Protagonism in Gaming Universe” (March 7th, 2026) dives into the inspiring initiative “Na Mira Delas,” aiming to amplify women’s voices and trajectories within gaming, creative, and audiovisual industries. Join the conversation here On Their Sights: Live Podcast Highlights Female Protagonism in Gaming Universe. In the spirit of making culture accessible, Jonathan Dubinski’s latest piece is also worth exploring. “Cine Petrobras Project Brings Free Cinema to 10 Brazilian States” (published March 13, 2026) showcases Petrobras’ ongoing commitment to bringing cinema to underserved communities across Brazil through free screenings on a climate-controlled movie truck from March to June. Check it out here: Cine Petrobras Project Brings Free Cinema to 10 Brazilian States.