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
Music of Brazil the "berimbau", the "atabaque" and the "pandeiro". Capoeira songs may be improvised on the spot, or they may be popular songs written by older, and ancient "mestres" (teachers), and often include accounts of the history of capoeira, or the doings of great mestres. This type of music is played primarily in the Recife and Olinda regions during Carnaval. It is an Afro-Brazilian tradition. The music serves as the backdrop for parade groups that evolved out of ceremonies conducted during colonial times in honour of the Kings of Congo, who were African slaves occupying symbolic leadership positions among the slave population.