The
Brazilian pianist, lives in Miami where she is pursuing her Doctoral
of Musical Arts degree in Piano Performance at the University of
Miami Frost School of Music, in the studio of Ivan Davis (pupil of
Vladimir Horowitz), and take harpsichord lessons with Frank Cooper.
Simone is a piano faculty member at this University as a Teaching
Assistant, and holds a MM in Piano Performance by the Norwegian
State Academy of Music, Oslo, where she studied with Geir Braaten.
She has performed both as soloist and Chamber Musician in Norway,
Germany, Switzerland, Denmark, USA and Brazil, in halls such as
Gusman Hall, Sala São Paulo, Teatro Municipal de Niterói, Gewandhaus
(Leipzig), Linderman Saal (Oslo), to name a few.
While in her country she was a pupil of Linda Bustani and Homero
Magalhães (pupil of Alfred Cortot), and graduated from Uni-Rio. With
a prolific repertory which ranges from Bach and Rameau to
Villa-Lobos, Prokofieff and Rachmaninoff, Leitão is a curious
musician who believes that the Art Music of the past and present can
truly communicate to audiences today.
www.simoneleitao.com.br
Beatriz Malnic,
born in Brazil, graduated in music at São Paulo University, where
she studied singing, composition, choir conducting and piano. She
worked with the composer, guitar player and partner of Vinicius de
Moraes (Girl from Ipanema) Toquinho, in tournees in South America,
Italy, Germany and Spain. She has also worked with artists like
Chico Buarque, Geraldo Vandre and Roberto Menescal
Founded in 1990 by Larry Crook, Jacaré Brazil is a UF
School of Music ensemble devoted to Brazil’s rich musical heritage.
With the addition of Welson Tremura as Co-Director in 2002, the
group has quickly become the premiere ensemble of its kind in the
United States.
Consisting of percussionists, singers, and guitarists, Jacaré Brazil
often collaborates with visiting Latin American musicians and gives
numerous performances in the surrounding community and beyond
exploring both popular and art music from all parts of Brazil.
www.arts.ufl.edu/cwa/jacare/jacare.html
www.myspace.com/welsontremura
Lilian Viana was born in the city of Belo Horizonte
capital of the State of Minas Gerais, Brazil. Born and raised in a
traditional middle class family, Lilian began at the age of eight as
a hostess and newscaster on a TV program called "Universidade
Popular da Manhã" (Popular University in the Morning). This cultural
and educational show for children and adolescents was aired by TV
Itacolomy, which became TV Tupi and eventually merged with TV
Manchete, one of the largest TV networks in Brazil at that time.
As a singer, at a very young age, she participated in several school
and regional musical events, always attaining good results and
receiving recognition. Theater and Dance were her two other passions
in life.
More...
The singer and poet left Goiás, in
Brazil, in 1970 during the military dictatorship that tragically
dismantled her family. Forced into exile, she went from the
backlands of Goiás, with its Savannah farms, and forests, to New
York City. She graduated from C.W. Post College, in Languages and
Education, and went on to live and sing in Manhattan with Brazilian
percussionist Dom Um Romao, known for his work with the Weather
Report. Then she lived in Europe for a decade, singing in Italy and
France.
In Miami since 1997, she's made music and education her life's work,
and an instrument for bringing different people together, bridging
cultural and social differences. Her performances aim at "teaching"
the Brazilian art of healing the heart through song.
Maguinhas's latest CD "Earth and
Sky" has been nominated by the Brazilian International Press Award
and also shows the fine instrumental work of Paulo de Carvalho, Ivo
de Carvalho and Felipe Souto. Hear it at www.cdbaby/maguinha
A new CD was released in April 2007 and it will present a
collection of authentic Brazilian music written by Maguinha and
award-wining guitarist Douglas Lora. http://www.concertartists.org/brasil_bio.htm
Vera
Guimarães
Song writer, singer, music teacher
772-231-1380
www.veraguimaraes.com vgmusic@bellsouth.net
Vera Guimaraes was
born in São Paulo, Brasil and started playing the piano at the
age of four. She studied piano with her mother, the virtuoso
pianist Maria do Rosario Elias de Araujo, Selika Zaratin França
and Alonso Anibal da Fonseca, who studied with Claude Debussy.
Vera also studied flute with Joao Dias Carrasqueira in Brasil
and in the U.S. with James Newton, a lifelong friend and a
teacher who has had a profound effect on the way that Vera
plays. Vera Guimaraes is a teacher and music director of her
private studio, VG Music. She is a performer and producer of the
CD Stirring the Forest, released by Apamás Records and ITM
Records.
Vera has had the honor of teaching piano to the
amazing and divine Bette Midler who has been an inspiration in
Vera’s teaching career. Vera also composed the film score for
the movie “Phoenix” directed by the talented Ana Penedo.
Vera Guimaraes has
been deeply involved in her community participating and
performing the flute, the piano and singing at various concerts.
Her repertoire ranges from early baroque to contemporary music,
focusing especially on composers from South America.
Simone
Leitão 
Beatriz
Malnic 
Lilian Viana
Magda Machado, a.k.a."Maguinha"
Vera
Guimarães