Byington is an example of the spirit of the festival. The CAMPOS DO JORDAO INTERNATIONAL WINTER FESTIVAL is based in the tradition of classical music, but strives for the involvement of the younger and older generations, while making education their mission. As a session musician for rock, pop, and electronic recordings, while at the same time embracing sound/recording engineering as his life’s passion and work, Cadu is a member of the younger generation who truly gives and receives at this festival which has become an institution in the Latin American music world. Byington truly believes in the spirit of multi-generational involvement and the benefits to each stating, “Education is present in almost all the festivals for classical music around the world. The tradition of “masters and pupils” is very strong in all the history of classical music. One of the objectives of the tradition of classical music is to perpetuate this knowledge that has passed from one generation to another. This is done by bringing renowned artists not just to play, but to also give master classes and play with other students in various situations. I think musical education is growing in many countries; as a consequence, the public’s love of classical music is also growing. An example of that is the work of Gustavo Dudamel (conductor of Los Angeles Philharmonic) in Venezuela. They built a system for poor children to learn instruments and play in orchestras. The results are astonishing. They play very well. Another example of this initiative is the Neojiba project in north Brazil.”
The interaction with the elite classical musicians who perform at the festival as well as their interaction with students meant that Cadu and his team were required to “set the table” for consummate professionals while inspiring younger musicians with the possibilities of how powerful a performance could sound. Because there were so many recordings (as many as three every day) taking place at multiple venues around the city, Byington needed to approach drastically different acoustic environments with the full benefit of his vast experience. Not only musicians took part in the tutelage as Byington oversaw recording classes to educate the next generation of recording/sound engineers and producers. Cadu explains that his team (comprised of technicians and students) faced many learning opportunities as “Every day we had a new kind of recording situation, different artists, different pieces, styles, and instrumentation. This required a vast knowledge of musical and technical aspects of recording procedures. We also had a recording class of students, which we managed to teach during our practical work. We had three main fronts of work; the daily recordings in the Claudio Santoro Theater (main stage of the festival) that took place every night, the production of the Academic Orchestra CD (the orchestra of the students of the Festival conducted by Roberto Minczuk), that took place every morning, and some external recordings (churches and other theaters) that took place in the afternoon. The situations are a demand for any professional engineer so I was particularly proud of our students who worked so hard and took advantage of the situation to learn. Being part of a community like this makes you feel very positive about the future of music. I think it bonds generations and gives us all a mutual respect for each other.”
Byington and his team are always on the go during the CAMPOS DO JORDAO INTERNATIONAL WINTER FESTIVAL, working from morning to evening and often working on route from location to location in their transport van. As part of the team of technicians and artists that enable the festival to exist, it is their work that has made it the institution what it is known to be. The Festival is an obligatory rite of passage for renowned artists around the world. Today, the Festival has a direct audience which numbers in the tens of thousands. Cadu’s work will see more than 3000 artists on stage and the classes which take place there are taught by more than a hundred musicians of the highest world ranking. Cadu Byington considers himself only a small part of this enormously popular and influential festival but, as the CAMPOS DO JORDAO INTERNATIONAL WINTER FESTIVAL proves, every small piece working together creates an effect that grows and last for generations.