Musicians from Brazil, Spain, and across several Azorean islands will take the stage this summer for the fifth season of Música no Forte (“Music at the Fort”), a beloved cultural series that continues to transform the seaside into a living concert hall.

Now in its fifth year, the program offers a richly curated musical journey—one that moves fluidly from local traditions to national sounds and onward to international influences. Set against the dramatic backdrop of the Forte de Santa Catarina in Lajes do Pico, the series has become a staple of the Azorean summer, drawing both residents and visitors into an intimate dialogue between music and landscape.

“From Pico to Terceira and Santa Maria, from Spain to Brazil, eclectic musicians take the stage at the Fort to enrich another summer,” said Terry Costa, artistic director of MiratecArts. “Summer at the Fort has become a musical journey cherished by our communities and embraced by those who visit us. This year, we are proud to present six debut musical projects in the whaling village.”

The season opens with a concert conceived by local musician Rui Silva, setting the tone for a program that balances innovation with tradition. The following Sunday brings Engengroaldenga, a duo from Santa Maria—Rui Resendes and Alexandre Fontes—who promise a contemporary and alternative exploration of the Viola da Terra, the Azores’ iconic 12-string instrument.

The journey then crosses the Atlantic to Brazil with Nani & Pita: vocalist Nani Medeiros and seven-string guitarist João Pita, who bring the timeless elegance of Bossa Nova classics to the Pico shoreline.

Back in the Azores, Terceira-born musician Jonathan Afonso presents his debut album Fire Within, blending flamenco influences with progressive sounds in what he describes as a deeply expressive and meditative musical language. The program continues with Antero Ávila and his family ensemble Entreparentes, offering a journey through the diverse landscapes of Portuguese music.

Closing the season is Spain’s An Danzza, a folk trio making their Azorean debut. With their tenth album, Encantadas, inspired by the mythic fairies of the Iberian Peninsula, they bring a global sonic palette rooted in tradition and imagination.

Organized by MiratecArts in partnership with the Municipality of Lajes do Pico, Música no Forte unfolds at sunset each Sunday from July 5 to August 9. Concerts begin at 7:30 p.m., with free admission.

As always, summer in the Azores finds one of its most resonant expressions not in spectacle, but in the quiet gathering of people, sea, and sound—where the Atlantic itself seems to listen.

From Press Release