EMU to Spotlight Music of Brazil

Paulo Steinberg

Brazilian music and culture will come center stage in two concerts presented by music department faculty and students at EMU.

Pianist and professor Paulo Steinberg will discuss the relation between cultural elements and music of Brazil and play pieces by two Brazilian composers 7:30 p.m. Friday, Apr. 13 in Martin Chapel of the seminary building at EMU.

Dr. Steinberg, a native of San Paulo, Brazil, will discuss the composing techniques of composers Heitor Villa-Lobos (1887-1959) and Ernesto Nazareth (1863-1934) and play selections by both Brazilian composers. The selections range from a tango to a fusion of Bach and Brazilian elements to a cycle of native characters and landscapes.

Program Features Many

Also in Martin Chapel, at 7:30 p.m. Saturday, Apr. 14, students of music instructors Monica Carlson, John Fast, Joan Griffing and Paulo Steinberg will perform several styles of Brazilian music written for piano solo and piano and violin.

The program will also feature music for guitar, played by Matt Carlson, and jazz ensemble, featuring Jim Warner and Nate Bontrager.

Steinberg earned a Performer Diploma in Piano from the Conservatório "Carlos Gomes" and a bachelor of music degree from the Universidade de São Paulo. A winner of many awards, he was granted a scholarship from the Government of Brazil to pursue his master of music degree at Arizona State University.

He received a doctor of music degree in piano performance from Indiana University. He currently teaches piano, chamber music and piano pedagogy and in the Shenandoah Valley Preparatory Music Program at EMU.

Admission to both concerts is free; donations are welcomed for the EMU music department student scholarship fund.

— article by: Jim Bishop; posted April 3, 2007