The feminine in Pessoa

The feminine in Pessoa is a musical performance with original songs written by the Brazilian pianist and composer Patrícia Lopes, inspired by the writing of Portugal’s National poet Fernando Pessoa (1888-1935). This highly personal interpretation of his poetry mixes her Brazilian music heritage and influences from western classical music.

 

This project focuses on understanding the feminine soul, theme that Pessoa described so passionately in his work. The poet’s mysterious self, shows a deep literary versatility, which contributes for the sounds and images of the concert.

 

The songs of The feminine in Pessoa are written for voice and ensemble and bring together lightness and sophistication, creating an atmosphere in which the melodic and harmonic dialogues intertwine naturally with Fernando Pessoa’s poetry.

Watch the videos

Guest Musicians

Amanda Ferraresi (violoncello) has a Bachelor’s Degree in Violoncello from the University of São Paulo (USP), in the class of Robert Suetholz. She took part in masterclasses with Fabio Presgrave, Claudio Jaffé and Aldo Mata. Ms. Ferraresi joined several orchestras, such as the Youth Orchestra of Paulínia (2012) and the Youth Orchestra of Guarulhos (2016), and has worked with theater groups since 2014, and is also an active member of the Brazilian popular music scene in São Paulo.

Ana Luíza (voice) is a singer and songwriter and has been an active member of the musical scene of São Paulo focusing on Brazilian song. In addition to her dedication to her own compositional work, she is also dedicated to the interpretation of Brazilian standards. Throughout her career built in Brazil and abroad, she has collaborated with renowned artists such as Milton Nascimento, Ney Matogrosso, Chico Buarque, Francis Hime, Pablo Milanés, Arrigo Barnabé, Paulinho da Viola, Dominguinhos, Zeca Baleiro, Chico César, Guinga, the Portuguese singer Maria João, and the classical guitarist Fabio Zanon.

Andrea dos Guimarães (vocais) is a Brazilian singer and has released her first solo álbum “Desvelo” for piano and voice with Brazilian songs arranged and played by herself in 2015. She has toured Europe with this project and has played in Lisbon, Coimbra, Serpa and Valencia. She has performed with great musicians such as Guinga, Mônica Salmaso, Sara Serpa (PT) and many others.

Angela Duarte (harp) has been an active member of the classical scene in São Paulo, both as a chamber and solo harpist. Ms. Duarte was a member of the São Paulo State Youth Orchestra from 2012-2015, and recorded three of their albums and performed in the international tours throughout the United States and Europe. She is currently a harpist of the Symphonic Band of the Army in São Paulo.

Beatriz França (double bass) is a double bass player, and has a Bachelor’s Degree in Double Bass from the  EMESP – Music School of the State of São Paulo. Ms. França performed the concert “Operilda na Orquestra Amazônica” and also participated in several festivals, such as the Campos do Jordão Winter Festival, and is currently a bass player at the USP Chamber Orchestra and at the Santos Symphony Orchestra.

Catarina Rossi (viola) is a violist at the Symphony Orchestra of Piracicaba, São Paulo, and has a Bachelor’s Degree in viola from the State University of Campinas – SP. She was a member of the viola section of the Young Municipal Orchestra SP, Tom Jobim Orchestra, Experimental Repertoire Orchestra and has a special interest in the Pernambuco Fiddle since 2014. She is also a member of the Ensembles Coletivo IANAI, Duo Szabok, the and Breusil Group.

Daniel D’Alcantara (trumpet) has been an active member of the São Paulo jazz  scene since mid nineties. He  is currently a member of the Soundscape Big Band Jazz in São Paulo and has performed with many renowned Brazilian musicians such as Milton Nascimento, Roberto Menescal, Rosa Passos, Ivan Lins, Filó Machado, Leny Andrade and João Donato. In 2003 he joined the Lee Konitz Nonet and in 2010 he performed with the Big Band that played with the conductor and composer Maria Schneider at the Jazz Festival of Ouro Preto – Minas Gerais.

Clara Kok (flute) is a member of Tijolo Theater  Company. She has a Bachelor’s Degree in flute from the University of Campinas, and is an active member of the São Paulo jazz, choro and samba musical scene.

Ensemble OCAM (Chamber Orchestra of the School of Communication and Arts of the University of São Paulo – Brazil)

Gil Jardim, Artistic Director  |  Filipe Fonseca, Conductor

Tahyná Oliveira, flute  •  Efraim Santana, clarinet  •  Angela Duarte, harp  •  Mayra Viner, cello  •  Maurício Simão, trombone  •  Sebastian Ruiz, viola  •  Felipe Suto, percussion  •  Renan Proença, percussion •  Amanda Ferraresi, violoncello  •  Catherine Santana, oboe  •  Laís Francischinelli, clarinet  •  Diana Leal, violin  •  Eva Lemmi, violin  •  Beatriz França, double bass  •   Bianca Santos, trumpet  •  Thayara Siqueira, violin

Gil Jardim (artistic director) is the conductor and artistic diretor of the Chamber Orquestra of the University of São Paulo (OCAM) and Professor at the Music department of the University.  He is an active member of the Brazilian classical, and pop scene and has worked as a composer, arranger  and conductor touring worldwide with  Milton Nascimento, Naná Vasconcelos, César Camargo Mariano, Ivan Lins, Leila Pinheiro and Egberto Gismonti. He has been invited to conduct orquestras abroad, such as the Brooklyn Academy of Music Symphony Orchestra (NYC), the Royal Philarmonic Concert Orchestra (London), the Orquestra Regionalle del Lazio (Rome) and the Orquestra de Camara Mayo ( Buenos Aires).

Hugo Azenha (clarinet) has Bachelor’s Degree in clarinet from the National Superior Academy of Orchestra in the class of Nuno Silva. He is currently a clarinet teacher at the Nossa Senhora do Cabo Music School in Linda-a-Velha, Portugal, a clarinetist at the OCF- Classical Orquestra of Fátima and also collaborates with the Metropolitan Orchestra of Lisbon, the Classical Orquestra of the South and WESO – West European Studio Orchestra.

Ilana Volcov (vocals) is a singer and has performed with some of the renowned Brazilian musicians, such as Guinga, Ed Motta, Vanessa da Mata, Zeca Baleiro, and Eduardo Gudin. In 2011 she released his first solo album, “Banguê”, which was nominated for the Brazilian Music Award with the song “Procissão da Padroeira” (Guinga / Paulo Cesar Pinheiro), and was invited to participate in the the Latin Grammy 2011 selection.

Judith Insell (viola), a New York native, has been an active member of the New York jazz, classical, and pop scene since mid nineties. Lee Konitz, Steve Coleman and Antonio Hart are just a few of the many jazz greats with whom Ms. Insell has performed and recorded with. She has performed throughout the eastern United States with the chambre jazz string group “Sojourner” which she is a founding member. She has performed with the New Jersey Symphony, the National Chorale Orchestra and is currently a member of the Greenwich Symphony.

Jussan Cluxnei (clarinet and bass clarinet) has a Bachelor’s degree in Clarinet from the State University of São Paulo (UNESP), and is the recipient of the 13th Nabor Pires de Camargo Award and the II Henri Bok Award for the Bass Clarinetist of the Year. He was a member of the São Pedro Theater Orchestra from 2010 to 2017. Currently Mr. Cluxnei is a an active member of the Brazilian popular music scene in São Paulo, performing and recording regularly with musical groups such as Duo VibrAr, Ybiará Trio, Ágar-Ágar Trio, and Ensemble Brasileiro.

Léa Freire (flute), is a Brazilian flute player and composer, and has performed with the most renowned musicians of different musical backgrounds of her generation. She performed with Joyce, and recorded live in Japan, Germany, England and Brazil. Ms. Freire is a founding member of the group “Vento em Madeira” which performs today with Teco Cardoso, Tiago Costa, Fernando Demarco and Edu Ribeiro. They invited the singer Mônica Salmaso as special guest for their third CD – Arraial – released in 2017. Ms. Freire´s most recent work is the duo with Amilton Godoy ( Zimbo Trio’s pianist) and together they recorded the CD “A Mil Tons” with compositions of Amilton. As a musical producer and publisher of Brazilian instrumental music, Ms. Freire is the founder of  Maritaca which has released more than 50 CDs and two books.

Lu Horta (vocals) is a Brazilian singer, composer and body percussionist and is a founding member of the body percussion group Barbatuques. She has traveled worldwide performing with them and has also released three CDs with the group, and won the “Premio Tim de Musica” prize in 2006 for her work in the album  “O Seguinte é esse”. The group has also composed the soundtrack of the movie “O Menino e o Mundo” which was  nominated for the Oscar in 2016.

Lyda Chen-Argerich (viola), born in Geneva, performs regularly with the renowned musicians such as Martha Argerich (her mother), Mischa Maisky, Ivry Gitlis and many others, being frequently invited to perform at festivals in Lugano, Verbier, Cassis, Suze-la Rousse, Buenos Aires and Japan. She has been performing as a chamber musician, soloist, and chamber orchestra’s conductor; and has recorded works by Fauré, Dvorák, and Beethoven for EMI. Lyda Chen Argerich is a member of the Basileo String Quartet from Geneva and the Interlude Trio.

Marcelo Pretto (vocals) is a singer and a founding member of the group “A Barca” focused on Brazilian popular culture. Since 2000, he gives workshops of Brazilian Popular Musical Studies in Brazil and in France. Marcelo Pretto was a finalist for the Visa Award, Singers Edition of 2002 and for the Festival of Culture and was the recipient of the 2005 Best Performer Award. In France, he performed at  the Villes et Musiques du Monde Festival in 2006.

Ohad Talmor (saxophone and clarinet) is a Swiss musician, recipient of the 2015 European Community Jazz Composer Award and the 2012 Switzerland Musician of the Year Award. As a saxophonist, he has performed with some of the renowned musicians from his generation, such as Lee Konitz, Charlie Haden, Kurt Rosenwinkle, Jason Moran and Steve Swallow. In addition, he has composed the soundtrack of the award-winning movie Low Down (2014), starring Glenn Close and John Hawkes.

Paula Mirhan (vocals) is a Brazilian singer and actress and is a member of the theatre companies in São Paulo: Cia. Les Commediens Tropicales and Cia deFeitos. She has a Bachelor’s Degree in Performing Arts from the University of Campinas (UNICAMP – São Paulo) and in Popular Singing from Centro de Estudos Musicais Tom Jobim in São Paulo. Paula has been working alongside Patrícia Lopes since 2014, performing the concert The feminine in Pessoa.

Paula Pires (clarinet) has a Master’s Degree in solo clarinet by the Hochschule für Musik und Tanz Köln and completed her Bachelor’s Degree in clarinet from the Paulista State University (UNESP) in 2012. She was awarded by FUNARTE and the scholarship of the German Service Postgraduate Academic Exchange (DAAD). Ms. Pires is currently a clarinetist of São Pedro Theater Orchestra and is a teacher at EMESP in São Paulo.

Paula Valente (saxophone) is a saxophonist and flutist, and has a Bachelor’s Degree in Composition and Conducting from the University of the State of Sao Paulo – Unesp –, a Master’s Degree and a PhD from the University of São Paulo-USP. She has been a member of the Jazz Symphony Orchestra of the State of São Paulo since its foundation in 1990. She has performed with some of the most renowned musicians of the Brazilian musical scene such as Tom Jobim, Edu Lobo, Zizi Possi, Egberto Gismonti, Ivan Lins and Milton Nascimento. She has been a teacher at the São Paulo State Music School – EMESP – since 1990, and is a founding member of the first female Bigband – Jazzmin’s Bigband.

Ricardo Ferreira (violoncello) is a cellist and has been an active member of the classical scene of Portugal. He collaborated with the Symphony Orchestra Internazionale Giovanile “Fedele Fenaroli”, Lisbon Metropolitan Orchestra, Algarve Orchestra, Madeira Orchestra, Braga Chamber Orchestra, Metropolitan Academic Orchestra and Aproarte Orchestra. He was the 1st Cello of the Artave and Aproarte Orchestra and participates regularly in the concert cycle “Young Musicians of Guimarães”. In September 2011, through audition, he was selected to join the Foundation Orchestra Studio – Orchestra of the European Capital of Culture (Guimarães 2012).

Parallel to classical music, he participated in projects with African singers Paulo Flores, Tito Paris, Dino d’Santiago and Vaiss (Osvaldo Dias). He recorded CDs and DVDs with the Orquestra Studio Foundation, Paulo Flores and Dino d’Santiago. He is currently a cello teacher at the Metropolitan Music Conservatory.

Rafael de Caboclo (violoncello) a Rio Claro native, is a member of the Symphony Orchestra of the State of São Paulo (OSESP) Academy and performs regularly with them at Sala São Paulo. He has a Bachelor’s Degree in cello from the Paulista State University (UNESP) and is an active member of the classical scene of São Paulo.

Sebastián Ruiz (viola) is from Chile and has a Bachelor’s Degree in Performance from the Catholic University of Valparaíso of Chile. He is currently a violist at the Chamber Orquestra of ECA-USP in São Paulo. He has played in Classical and Baroque Music Festivals and performed at Femusc in 2015 and has performed with the Philarmonic Orquestra of Chile in 2014.

Sofia Vitória (voice) has a Bachelor’s Degree in Jazz Voice from the Superior School of Music in Lisbon and studied piano at the Regional Conservatory of Setúbal. She has performed with renowned musicians such as Ivan Lins, Alexandre Frazão, Carlos Barretto and João Moreira. Since 2011 she has been invited to perform “Poema Bar”, a concert that brings together the poetry of Fernando Pessoa and Vinicius de Moraes, together with the Brazilian actor Alexandre Borges, the Portuguese pianist João Vasco, and the granddaughter of Vinicius de Moraes, the Brazilian singer and actress Mariana de Moraes. Sofia Vitoria’s most recent work is the recording of the CD “Echoes” inspired by the English poems of Fernando Pessoa.

Tatiana Parra (voice) is a Brazilian singer and is an active member of the musical scene of her country. She has performed with some of the renowned Brazilian musicians of her generation such as Chico Pinheiro, Ivan Lins, Benjamim Taubkin, Mario Adnet, Rita Lee, Toquinho, André Mehmari, Fabio Torres and Theo de Barros. Tatiana has released albums as a solo artist which includes ‘Inteira’ (2010), with César Camargo Mariano, and ‘Aqui’ (2011) with the Argentinian pianist Andrés Beeuwsaert, both recorded in Brazil. The albums ‘Lighthouse’ (2014) and ‘Hand in Hand’ (2016), were recorded in Los Angeles in partnership with the Armenian pianist Vardan Ovsepian. With this project she was the recipient of the Achava Jazz Festival Award, of the University of Franz Lizt in Germany.

William Teixeira (violoncello) is a member of Fukuda Cello Ensemble and is also an active member of the classical scene in São Paulo. He has worked as the head of the cello section of the Symphony Orchestra of Rio Claro and the Chamber Orchestra of the University of São Paulo, and has performed with the Symphony Orchestra of Heliopolis and the Philharmonic Orchestra of São Caetano do Sul. Mr Teixeira studies the twentieth century music and is currently pursuing a Doctorate from the University of São Paulo.