Carlinhos Pandeiro de Ouro and stunts (known as "malabarismo"). Soon Carlinhos was performing professionally, working with most important musicians and composers in Rio. In 1966, Brazil held a national contest to find the country’s best pandeiro player. Carlinhos out-performed 500 other players to win the first ‘Golden Tambourine’ award, thereby becoming known as "Carlinhos Pandeiro de Ouro". With this recognition, Carlinhos represented Brazil in performances before the Japanese royal family, the Swedish royal family, and also in a command performance for Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Phillip of England. Carlinhos has had a wide-ranging career as a percussionist, appearing in Brazilian films, on Brazilian
Carlinhos Pandeiro de Ouro Carlinhos Pandeiro de Ouro Born Carlos de Oliveira, Carlinhos grew up in Rio de Janeiro in the 1940s, and was immersed in samba. Carlinhos took up the pandeiro at age seven, starting with one of his mother’s cake pans. He visited the favelas to absorb samba styles, particularly at one of the greatest samba schools, GRES Estação Primeira de Mangueira. Carlinhos would join in during rehearsals, and he soon came to the attention of Mangueira’s legendary singer, Jamelão, who invited Carlinhos to become a performing member of Mangueira, a high honor. Carlinhos’s pandeiro playing became quite theatrical, with unprecedented juggling