School of Music
Amount Awarded: $8,000
Awarded for 2019-20
Title:
The Living Art of Brazilian Classical Music: Lecture-Recitals and Masterclasses by experts from the Federal State University of Rio de Janeiro (UFRJ), Dr. Paula Da Matta and Dr. Aloysio Fagerlande
The Living Art of Brazilian Classical Music: Lecture-Recitals and Masterclasses by experts from the Federal State University of Rio de Janeiro (UFRJ), Dr. Paula Da Matta and Dr. Aloysio Fagerlande. Drs. Da Matta and Fagerlande will present two Lecture-Recitals and two masterclasses on the development of classical music in Brazil and its hybrid musical styles, to the students who are engaged in piano, woodwind, composition, musicology and music theory, and Latin American studies
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Drs. Da Matta and Fagerlande, scholars of Brazilian classical music, were in residence at the School of Music for Uive days (9-13) in September of 2019.
They presented a total of three lectures, two masterclasses, and two concerts to students from the piano, woodwind, composition, musicology and music theory areas. All events were advertised on the SOM website, social media, emails, mailings, and printed and online calendars. Participating masterclass students were selected in consultation with the piano and woodwind faculty, and the masterclasses and concerts were free and open to the public.. In addition to the above events, Dr. Da Matta also taught several private lessons to the students in the piano program, generously giving her free time to those who requested her instruction.
The residency was impactful and well-received by the students and faculty who attended and participated. It provided the students with a substantial level of engagement as there was at least one event each day during the residency week, which centered on the Brazilian scholars’ activities and sharing of their expertise.
Dr. Da Matta, Director of Brazilian Music Research program at the UFRJ, presented a concert program of Brazilian works which included several North American premieres, in a free concert on Monday, September 9 at 6pm, in Libby Gardner Concert Hall. Her program of unique musical selections, the result of years of important research on the cultural heritage of Brazilian music, was livestreamed and recorded.
On Tuesday, September 10 , Dr. Da Matta taught several hour-long lessons to the students from the piano program - the lesson repertoire included a variety of genres, and stylistic periods, including a popular work by a Latin American composer, Astor Piazzolla.
Dr. Fagerlande, professor of bassoon, director of Graduate Studies at UFRJ, and an active member of the renowned Villa-Lobos Woodwind Quintet, presented a lecture on bassoon works of the renowned Brazilian composer Francesco Mignone. This was a rare treat for the bassoon and composition students in attendance; Dr. Fagerlande studied with Mignone, and he presented particular and special insights into Mignone’s compositional process and interpretation, as well as several personal anecdotes of his studies with he composer, to the students at the lecture. The lecture took place in Dumke Recital Hall, from 6:45-7:45 pm.
The lecture was followed by a two-hour masterclass, also in Dumke Recital Hall. Both were recorded for archiving int eh McKay Music Library. Students from the bassoon studios of Professors Lori Wike, and Jennifer Rhodes performed in the masterclass.
Dr. Da Matta’s piano masterclass took place on Wednesday, September 11, from 7-9 p in Dumke Recital Hall. Participating students presented musical, technical, and creative challenges from selected repertoire, and learned speciUic performance techniques and strategies from Dr. Da Matta. The masterclass was attended by piano students and by several teachers from the community, as well as other music majors. Several students presented works by Frederic Chopin, whose music is one of Dr. Da Matta’s specialties. She instructed the students on Chopin performance practice, which she researched at the University of Sorbonne in Paris. Dr. Da Matta provided key information on the latest research related to the form and style of the composer’s opus.
On Thursday, September 12, (10:45am-12:05pm) Professors Da Matta and Fagerlande presented a joint lecture to the Career Development class of undergraduate and graduate music students, on the topic of music industry and technology developments in Latin America. Dr. Da Matta taught several individual piano lessons later in the day, again to the students who approached her with an interest in learning from her.
Dr. Da Matta and Dr. Fagerlande have discovered and performed many rare and unique classical Brazilian compositions, and have commissioned and premiered a number of new works by their Brazilian colleagues. Their week-long residency at the SOM concluded with a duo concert program of important repertoire of Brazilian music for their instruments, bassoon and piano respectively, on Friday September 13, last 6 pm in Dumke Recital Hall. Their program consisted of works composed by seminal Uigures in Brazilian classical music, such as José Siqueira, alongside the new generation represented by Liduino Pitombeira, Sérgio Di Sabatto and Eduardo Biato. To the attending students’ delight, one of the works on t program was the Mignone Concertino, which was performed by one of the bassoon students earlier in the week (on Tuesday) in the bassoon and composition/theory masterclass. The concert was live-streamed and recorded for archival purpose.
Because of the funding received trough the Dee Grant award, the students in our music programs received unique, specialized, and exceptional instruction by two of Brazil’s foremost music experts, and beneUitted from their research, depth of expertise, and professional career advice.