Walter and Wagner Caldas grew up in the slums of Rio de Janeiro. Their parents introduced them to classical music, urging them to stay away from drugs and violence. That push was the start of a remarkable journey.
"We started by ourselves," says Walter Caldas. "People would make fun of us. But then, this guy in Brazil started teaching music for the kids in the community, so they don't go through the same pattern of drug dealing and stuff. So that made it a little easier for us; we are not alone."
"On top of that, we started performing, and that made a huge difference. Usually when we performed at that time, we got paid with food."
The twins now live in Cedar Falls. They are graduates of the University of Northern Iowa and the leaders of the Brazilian 2wins. They have developed a unique sound, drawing on their classical training and mixing it with a love of a more modern sound. On this Talk of Iowa segment, Charity Nebbe talks with them about their journey to Iowa, their music, and Wagner’s recent battle with a rare form of cancer.
"I'm trying to be very positive about the whole ordeal; that's all I can do," says Wagner Caldas. "I'm trying to go through days with a smile on my face."
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Also, the former assistant box office manager at the University of Iowa’s Hancher Auditorium, Hal Ide, talks about the search for a new Steinway grand piano for the new performance space, which is set to open next fall.
