After his father, late Domingos Caetano Braganca, Semy Braganca is the only musician in Goa who plays the trombone. Fifteen years of service in the Navy Band made him a polished trombonist.
Born on October 14, 1972, Semy Xavier Miguel Braganca, popularly known as Semy in the music field, hails from the serene village of Merces in the Tiswadi taluka. He completed his primary education in Merces English High School.
Semy’s father, late Domingos Caetano Braganca, popularly known as ‘DC’ among the musicians, was a musician par excellence. “My dad was the choir master in Our Lady of Merces Church and was well versed in all the instruments, including the wind instruments. Career kicked off at a young age by joining the church choir,” he revealed.
At the tender age of 15, Semy received encouragement from his father to learn music and was admitted in St Cecilia Music School at St Tome chapel, Fontainhas, Panjim. “The school was run by late Fr Martin and tutorials in solfeggio were provided by late Joe, who guided me for three years,” he reminisced.
“Initially, my dad encouraged me to play the bass drum (dol kax) to get thorough knowledge in the variation of beats,” Semy continued, and he would accompany him for feasts, small occasions and funerals held in and around the village. “Next, it was dad’s motivation that prompted me to pick up the trombone, as it is a rare instrument,” he added.
Semy’s dad taught him the nuances of trombone and thereafter he started accompanying him for feasts and funerals. In 1991, an advertisement appeared from the Indian Navy Band, seeking applicants in music.
Semy answered the interview and was selected instantly. He signed a bond of 15 years and from 1991-1997 he was in Mumbai with dedicated services in the band. He later sought a transfer to Goa and from 1998 to 2006 he continued his services at INS Mandovi, Verem.
After joining the Indian Navy Band, Semy had to undergo a three-month rigorous training at INS Chilka, Orissa. “Strictness and discipline followed, with dress code and haircut. As part of the Indian Navy Band, physical fitness, gun firing, sports were part of the routine exercises,” he recalled.
During his tenure in the Navy Band, Semy had the opportunity to play different types of music, namely Pop, Jazz, western classical, Indian classical and Konkani music. He also shared the stage with bands from other countries such as the Russian Navy, Bangladesh Navy, France Navy, Sri Lanka Navy and US Navy.
As a trombonist, opportunity also dawned for Semy to travel to different countries like Dubai, Muscat, Iran, Saudi Arabia, Sri Lanka, Maldives and Seychelles as a member of the ‘Good Will Visit’ from 1991 to 2006. “It was an opportunity of a lifetime,” he disclosed, with pride in his heart.
On return home from the Navy band, Semy moved about performing with his fellow villager, Putush and his troupe, for various feasts and tiatrs. Performances in hotels (both in north and south Goa) also continued from 2007 to 2016.
In 2008-09 as a trombonist, Semy found a place in Lorna’s musical show along with Norman Cardozo and troupe. He also assisted in tiatrs staged by Sammy Tavares, Tomazinho Cardozo, Mariano Fernandes, Samuel Carvalho, Irineu Gonsalves, Fr Doel Dias, Jr Reagan and Fr Milagres Dias, not forgetting those presented at the Kala Academy’s annual tiatr competitions.
Due to performance with the trombone, Semy admits that he received more recognition among the musicians and the audience. “While playing in various noted hotels,” he reminisces, “it was part of the Jazz Band along with Mac Dourado, Dominic Pereira, Bosco D’Souza and Collin D’Cruz. And for the Gospel Jazz Concert, it was a performance with Braz Gonsalves and Lui Banks at Kala Academy open air auditorium,” he informed.
Semy did not miss the opportunity of sharing his knowledge with the students at Kala Academy, with tutorials in trombone and trumpet for 4 years. He feels proud to inform that Dexter Furtado from Merces and Senon D’Souza from Azossim was his students and are now excelling in the field of music.
Throwing more light about trombone, a rare instrument among the wind instruments, Semy states that there are two types of trombones, namely finger playing and slide trombone. “It’s almost like the violin,” he conceals, “and you have to play in the positions and it has to be played accurately. Moving forward will result in ‘sharp’ and moving backward will produce the ‘flat’ tone.”
As a trombonist, Semy has also contributed towards the film industry with Laxmikant Pyarelal in Hindi film ‘Prem’, Bradroy Barreto’s Konkani movie ‘Nachoia Kumpasar’, which bagged several awards in India, abroad and also selected for Oscar Award. He has also performed in Kuwait for ‘Mango Bonanza’, in Australia for ‘Goenkarancho Sangat’ and in London for tiatr ‘Tujem Bhangar Tujeach Angar’ by Mariano Fernandes.
For recording of CDs, Semy has performed as a trombonist with Norman Cardozo, mestro Josinho, mestro Jerome, late Agnelo Dias, Anthony de Velim, Cannon de Souza, Joaquim de Souza, Senon de Souza and Selwyn Braganza.
Due to the scarcity of tutors in trombone, Semy states that online tutorials are the best option “as you get to know and learn all the techniques there.” “Those professional techniques which include how to produce sound, how to blow and tonguing are more accurate online,” he confesses, “that detailed study you will never get from a tutorial in a music school.”
“In today’s music field,” Semy mentions, “blowing instruments like the trumpet, alto and tenor saxophone are in plenty.” “But to keep trombone alive for posterity, among the blowing instruments, the youth should take keen interest in learning it. Only after picking up the nuances and reaching a certain height, one could join and play for the band,” he suggests.