Flute Center Chicago Presents

Tempero Brasileiro Recital featuring Julie Koidin (flute) and Neal Alger (guitar)

Live in Chicago | May 23, 2026 | 4PM CST

Free Auditor Tickets

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Tempero Brasileiro is a Brazilian music flute and guitar duo performing choro, samba and other Brazilian popular musics. “Tempero Brasileiro” means “Brazilian seasoning/flavor” and reflects the duo’s diverse background of classical (Julie Koidin) and jazz (Neal Alger) which they add to their long background in Brazilian genres. They “season” their selections with a sprinkle of classical and a pinch of jazz for a tasty offering!

Neal Alger is one of the Chicago area’s premiere jazz guitarists and Julie Koidin is one of the few Brazilian choro specialists in the U.S. with a nationally broadcast radio show on the WFMT Network – “A Joyful Cry: Brazil’s Choro Music.”

Tempero Brasileiro is a new project for Neal and Julie but continues the long tradition of Julie’s 20 year project, “Dois no Choro” which she shares with guitarist/vocalist, Paulinho Garcia, who is now relocated in Los Angeles.

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Since 1997, Julie Koidin has had extensive travels to Brazil and Argentina, researching the music of both countries.

In 2002 she received the top position in both the U.S. and Brazil for a Fulbright Lecture-Research Grant. She has taught extensively in Brazil – at the Federal Universities of Rio (UNIRIO), Natal, Brasília, Recife, and in various festivals including FEMUSICA, the International Winter Festival of Domingos Martins and Brasília’s International Summer Festival. Julie has also received 7 other Fulbright Grants – Norway (2005), New Zealand (2006), Serbia (2008), Sweden (2011), Brazil (2014 & 2015), Ecuador (2016) and Colombia (2019) where she taught and performed U.S. repertoire.

Julie is also a recitalist and soloist in the U.S. and abroad. Annually she goes to Brazil to perform and teach (2019 was her 23rd Brazilian tour since 1997).  Julie has performed with legendary musicians, Altamiro Carrilho (flute), Carlos Poyares (flute) and Daniela Spielmann (saxophone and flute). Carrilho and Madeira are special guests on her Dois no Choro Juntos CD.

In 2016 Julie hosted and produced the 4-part choro documentary on the WFMT Radio Network. This was the first-ever internationally broadcast radio show in English, and it was produced to align with the 2016 Summer Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro.

Julie received her doctorate and master’s degrees from Northwestern University and her bachelor’s degree from the University of Illinois in Champaign-Urbana.