Maria Helena Rosas Fernandes (born 1933) is a
Brazilian composer
A composer is a person who writes music. The term is especially used to indicate composers of Western classical music, or those who are composers by occupation. Many composers are, or were, also skilled performers of music.
Etymology and Defi ...
,
pianist
A pianist ( , ) is an individual musician who plays the piano. Since most forms of Western music can make use of the piano, pianists have a wide repertoire and a wide variety of styles to choose from, among them traditional classical music, ja ...
,
musicologist, conductor and music educator.
Fernandes was born in
Brazópolis in
Minas Gerais
Minas Gerais () is a state in Southeastern Brazil. It ranks as the second most populous, the third by gross domestic product (GDP), and the fourth largest by area in the country. The state's capital and largest city, Belo Horizonte (literally ...
state, and graduated in piano from the Brazilian Conservatory of Music of
Guanabara State in piano and from the Superior School of Music Santa Marcelina in composition and conducting.
After completing her studies, Fernandes worked as a choral conductor and music teacher at conservatories and published research on
indigenous Brazilian music. Her works have been performed internationally and won awards including the 2006
Nancy Van de Vate
Nancy Van de Vate (born December 30, 1930) is an American-born composer living in Austria.
Life and career
Van de Vate was born in Plainfield, New Jersey. She studied piano at Eastman School of Music and music theory at Wellesley College and comp ...
International Composition Prize for Opera for ''Marília de Dirceu''.
Works
Selected works include:
*''Prelúdio''
*''Valsa''
*''Cantilena''
*''Canto de Maricatu''
*'Marília de Dirceu'', opera
Her compositions have been recorded and issued on CD, including:
*''Brasileira: Piano Music by Brazilian Women'' (2003) Centaur Records
References
1933 births
Living people
20th-century classical composers
Brazilian music educators
Women classical composers
Brazilian classical composers
Brazilian opera composers
Women opera composers
20th-century Brazilian musicians
Women music educators
20th-century women composers
People from Brasópolis
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