André Mehmari

JazzB - Sao Paulo

5 Jan

Written By Oh! Jazz

André Mehmari is considered one of Brazil's most talented musicians. His activities as pianist, composer, and arranger are highly regarded in both popular and classical music. His career in jazz and Brazilian popular music has attained wide attention with performances in all of Brazil's major jazz festivals and abroad at Umbria Jazz in Italy and Juan Les-Pins in France.
Born in 1977 in Niteroi (RJ), he began to study music with his mother at the age of five and completed an organ course at the Conservatory of Ribeirao Preto (SP). At age ten, having taught himself jazz improvisation, he wrote his first compositions; and, at 15, while teaching organ in the Conservatory, he was invited to compose a method for keyboard beginners. The result was a 20-piece collection, greatly appreciated by young musicians and their teachers. Mehmari’s precociousness as a composer and multi-instrumentalist was well-documented by the media.
He began studying at São Paulo State University (USP) in 1995 and, winning the University’s competition for original Brazilian popular music (MPB) that same year. Two years later, the same honor was awarded to him for classical music. In 1998, he won the first national Prêmio VISA de MPB competition, the most important award for popular music in Brazil. The competition's prize is the recording of a new CD, which became Mehmari's first release and opened concert opportunities throughout Brazil.
In 2006, he won the Carlos Gomes Award for Classical Music Revelation of the Year and was appointed resident composer for the São Paulo State Wind Band. The Pan American Games commissioned him in 2007 to compose music based on themes by Villa-Lobos, Jobim, and Chico Buarque for ceremonies at Rio de Janeiro's Maracanã Stadium. He has been commissioned to write arrangements for the closing ceremony of the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro.
His active performing calendar includes his trio, duos with singer Mônica Salmaso, mandolinist Danilo Brito, clarinetist Gabriele Mirabassi, vibraphonist-percussionist Antonio Loureiro, and pianist Mário Laginha, as well as solo piano concerts. He continues to be one of the most sought-after composers in Brazil.