José Miguel Wisnik (born 27 October 1948) is a Brazilian composer, musician, and essayist. He is a professor of Brazilian Literature at the

University of São Paulo The Universidade de São Paulo (, USP) is a public research university in the Brazilian state of São Paulo, and the largest public university in Brazil. The university was founded on 25 January 1934, regrouping already existing schools in ...

. His studies, collected in books and periodicals, are mainly focused on the relationship between literature and music; he also deals with comparative literature.

Life and work

Born in São Vicente, from a family of Polish descent, Wisnik studied the piano at the conservatory in his hometown. He graduated in Languages from the University of São Paulo in 1970 and has also a master's degree (1974) and a doctorate (1980) in

literary theory Literary theory is the systematic study of the nature of literature and of the methods for literary analysis. Culler 1997, p.1 Since the 19th century, literary scholarship includes literary theory and considerations of intellectual history, m ...

and

comparative literature Comparative literature studies is an academic field dealing with the study of literature and cultural expression across language, linguistic, national, geographic, and discipline, disciplinary boundaries. Comparative literature "performs a role ...

from the same institution. He performed for the first time as a soloist with the São Paulo Municipal Orchestra at the age of 17, interpreting

Camille Saint-Saëns Charles-Camille Saint-Saëns (, , 9October 183516 December 1921) was a French composer, organist, conductor and pianist of the Romantic music, Romantic era. His best-known works include Introduction and Rondo Capriccioso (1863), the Piano ...

' '' Concerto nº 2''. In 1968, he participated in the University Festival aired by TV Tupi, with his song ''Outra Viagem'', sung by

Alaíde Costa Alaíde Costa Silveira Mondin Gomide, known as Alaíde Costa (born 8 December 1935), is a Brazilian singer-songwriter. Life Early years Alaíde Costa was born in Rio de Janeiro, in the neighborhood of Méier. Her brother enrolled her in a loc ...

and later recorded by

Ná Ozzetti Maria Cristina Ozzetti, known as Ná Ozzetti, (born 12 December 1958) is a Brazilian singer and composer. She has been associated with the Vanguarda Paulista movement, having been a vocalist for the band Rumo before following a solo career. Biogr ...

. Wisnik recorded four albums: the eponymous ''José Miguel Wisnik'' (1992), ''São Paulo Rio'' (2002), which featured singer

Elza Soares Elza da Conceição Soares (née Gomes; 23 June 1930 – 20 January 2022), known professionally as Elza Soares (), was a Brazilian samba singer. In 1999, she was named Singer of the Millennium along with Tina Turner by BBC Radio. Elza was dee ...

, with whom Wisnik performed in a few shows in 2002, in addition to taking part in the artistic direction of her album ''Do Cóccix até o Pescoço'', ''Pérolas aos Poucos'' (2003), the double CD ''Indivisível (2011) and'' ''Vão'' (2022) Wisnik wrote essays on music and literature, among them ''O coro dos contrários: a música em torno da semana de 22'' (1978; awarded the

Jabuti Prize The red-footed tortoise (''Chelonoidis carbonarius'') is a species of tortoise from northern South America. These medium-sized tortoises generally average as adults, but can reach over . They have dark-colored (nearly black), “loaf”-shaped ...

for New Author), ''O Som e o Sentido- Uma outra história das músicas'' (1989), ''Sem Receita – Ensaios e Canções'' (2004)'', Veneno Remédio'' (2008), about Brazil's relationship with football, and ''Machado Maxixe: o Caso Pestana'' (2008). In addition to his records, books, essays and classes, Wisnik also makes music for film ('' Foreign Land'', by

Walter Salles Walter Moreira Salles Júnior (; ; born 12 April 1956) is a Brazilian filmmaker. A major figure of the Resumption Cinema in Brazil, Salles is widely regarded as one of the greatest Brazilian filmmakers of all time. His List of awards and nomina ...

and

Daniela Thomas Daniela Thomas (born 1959) is a Brazilian film director, screenwriter and editor. Early life In 1959, Thomas was born as Daniela Gontijo Alves Pinto in Brazil. Thomas' father is Ziraldo Alves Pinto, a cartoonist. Thomas' brother is Antonio ...

), stage ''(As Boas'', ''Hamlet'' and ''Mistérios Gozozos'' for

Teatro Oficina Teat(r)o Oficina Uzyna Uzona or simply Teatro Oficina (English language, English: Oficina Theater), is a theater company based in the neighborhood of Bixiga, in the Brazilian São Paulo, city of São Paulo. It was founded in 1958 at the Faculdade ...

, ''and Pentesileias'', by Daniela Thomas, directed by Bete Coelho) and dance. He made four soundtracks for

Grupo Corpo Grupo Corpo are a Brazilian dance theatre company founded in 1975. The group performs internationally and has been acclaimed by critics. Their routines are particularly known for challenging audience perceptions of ballet and modern dance. Histor ...

: ''Nazareth'', from 1993, based on the work of

Ernesto Nazareth Ernesto Júlio de Nazareth (March 20, 1863 – February 1, 1934) was a Brazilian composer and pianist, especially noted for his creative maxixe and choro compositions. Influenced by a diverse set of dance rhythms including the polka, the habanera ...

; ''Parabelo'', from 1997, in partnership with

Tom Zé Antônio José Santana Martins (born 11 October 1936), known professionally as Tom Zé (), Born in Irará, Bahia, is a Brazilian singer-songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, and composer who was influential in the Tropicália movement of 1960s Br ...

; ''Onqotô'', from 2005, with

Caetano Veloso Caetano Emanuel Viana Teles Veloso (; born 7 August 1942) is a Brazilian composer, singer, guitarist, writer, and political activist. Veloso first became known for his participation in the Brazilian musical movement Tropicália, which encompas ...

and ''Sem Mim'', from 2011, with Carlos Nuñez, on songs by

Martín Codax Martin Codax or Codaz, Martín Codax () or Martim Codax was a Galician medieval ''joglar'' (non-noble composer and performer, as opposed to a ''trobador''), possibly from Vigo, Galicia in present-day Spain. He may have been active during the ...

. Since 2005 he has performed several series of "lesson-concerts" with guitarist and composer

Arthur Nestrovski Arthur Rosenblat Nestrovski (born December 26, 1959) is a Brazilian composer, guitarist, literary and musical critic, writer and editor. He was artistic director of the São Paulo State Symphony Orchestra (Osesp) from 2010 to 2022; and artistic dir ...

References

External links

Profile
on University of São Paulo's Brazilian Literature postgraduation program
Profile
on Música Brasilis {{DEFAULTSORT:Wisnik, José Miguel Living people 1948 births Brazilian people of Polish descent Brazilian composers Brazilian essayists Brazilian pianists University of São Paulo alumni Academic staff of the University of São Paulo People from São Vicente, São Paulo