Mother’s Day: Music that Unites Generations

May has always been special to me—not just because it’s Mother’s Month, but because it reminds me how much motherhood has changed my life, especially once music became an unbreakable bond between my daughter, Duda, and me.

Love at first sight

Our shared musical story began in a magical and unexpected way. During a dress rehearsal I was conducting, four-year-old Duda accompanied me onstage. Being a passionate conductor and mother, I showed her each instrument in the orchestra, hoping one would spark her interest. But it was the double bass—huge, towering over her—that completely captured her imagination. Her eyes lit up; it truly was love at first sight, from the stage straight to her heart. Since then, she’s never wanted to play anything else. She showed remarkable perseverance—a trait I think she inherited from me.

My own professional journey has been full of obstacles and challenges. Overcoming them took courage and resilience, and I hope I’ve shown my daughter that big dreams come true only with dedication, hard work, and love. I don’t take pride in the difficulties themselves, but in having overcome them—and I believe I set a good example for her in this regard.

Words from Duda

“It’s not always easy living with a mom who’s a conductor and composer! When I’m practicing and she’s home, I just can’t disconnect from the idea that she’s listening. If I play really out of tune, it never takes more than five minutes before I hear her voice: ‘Dudaaaa, tune it!’ Sometimes it makes me want to laugh, but I know she only wants the best for me.

At the same time, I’m so proud seeing her composing—sometimes she’s eating with us and suddenly runs off to write down a new musical idea. My schoolmates admire her a lot, too. And I’m so proud to say that pieces like the Cantata they performed were written by my mom!

In concerts where I play under her baton, I’m the only one during rehearsals who gets to call her Mom—all the others call her Maestro. That’s so cool and funny! I see my mom as someone who inspires and supports me, even if we don’t always agree on everything. For example, if it had been up to her, I never would have played the double bass. But today she always says it was the best instrument I could have picked, and that she’s truly learned to love it.”

Intertwined dreams

Duda has grown into one of the greatest young double bass talents of her generation, already winning international awards—victories that fill me with joy and pride. In 2023, we celebrated a remarkable milestone together: for the first time, we shared the stage in Rio de Janeiro—I as conductor, she as soloist. It was a unique experience, forever engraved in our hearts, a symbol of our musical and emotional bond.

This partnership is taking us even further. We are now working on our very

first joint album—Photosynthesis, to be released in July. The album will feature works full of affection, including several of my own compositions, like the brand-new “Variations on a Brazilian Theme,” written especially for Duda, as well as Ernst Mahle’s “Sonatina” created for her, and many arrangements and transcriptions I’ve made for the double bass, inspired by my daughter. Duda is such a powerful source of inspiration: writing or transcribing Brazilian pieces, from Villa-Lobos to contemporary women composers, has become a way of paying tribute to her.

This May, in addition to recording the album, we are preparing a mother-daughter concert, with Duda as the event moderator. It’s both emotional and fun to share the stage and our everyday musical world. I’ve always dreamed of sharing moments like this—and celebrating our deep friendship and mutual respect onstage is a gift that motherhood has given me.

Tributes, inspiration, and legacy

With the album Women and the Double Bass, recently released in her honor—performed by Duda, by me, and by her first teacher Helen Buchbach—we celebrate women in music and all we’ve accomplished together. Seeing my daughter move forward—now a student of Professor Stephan Petzold at Carl Philipp Emanuel Bach Gymnasium in Berlin—gives me pride and joy.

But above all, what I cherish most is that our relationship is built on a genuine friendship, full of respect and love—something rare and precious, especially between mothers and teenage daughters.

An invitation to share in our journey

We warmly invite you to join us on this journey—at concerts, in our recordings, or here on this blog. Every piece, every project, every new score represents not just our artistic achievements, but also the profound connection between mother and daughter, between mentor and student (sometimes the roles reverse!), and above all: between two great friends.

May May bring all mothers moments of affection, inspiration, and new musical discoveries—just as it has for us.

Join us at our concerts and for the release of the album Photosynthesis in July!

More information at: www.andreabotelho.com

Happy Mother’s Day!