Som e Sentido: A Musical Journey for Freedom is a participatory music and arts project developed during the 2024/2025 academic year with students from EB Manuel António Pina in Vila Nova de Gaia. As part of the national celebrations of the 50th anniversary of the 25th of April Revolution in Portugal, the initiative invited children to reflect on themes such as freedom, environmental awareness, and digital dependency through collaborative creation. The project culminated in a unique concert-manifestation, where the students performed original songs, built their own percussion instruments, and carried placards with their own messages—transforming the stage into a space of sound, protest, and celebration.

The project was conceived and produced by Tatiana Vargas, who brought together a multidisciplinary team of artists including singer-songwriter Sara Yasmine, electronic musician Frankão, and multi-instrumentalist and artistic researcher Luís Bittencourt. Bittencourt played a central role in the artistic direction and mentoring of the children, guiding their exploration of sound, rhythm, and performative expression. His involvement emphasized a commitment to participatory creation and the transformative potential of music as a tool for critical thinking and collective empowerment.

This project is funded by DGArtes, Portugal.

Photography: ©Augusto Lado