BIO
Music Inspiration
From a young age, Mario da Silva was drawn to music. The music atmosphere at his childhood was the transition between Brazilian bossa nova, mpb music such as Baden Powell. Mario da Silva is now the professional Classical Guitarist who research about contemporary composers in Brazil and around the world. He also performs works by composers that use hybrid procedures of composition such as Villa-Lobos's one. And also forms came from Experimental Music using unusual scordatures and extended technique.
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Music Trajetory
Mario da Silva Junior was born in Petrópolis on September 27, 1962. At the age of 11, he had his first contact with the guitar when listening to his father Baden Powell's album. At 18 he moved to Curitiba, Paraná. Years later, he acquired a bachelor's degree at UNESPAR - University of Paraná - Campus I Curitiba - EMBAP (School of Music and Fine Arts of Paraná) where he specialized in Chamber Music. In 2002 he acquired a Master Degree in Music Performance at UNIRIO, Rio de Janeiro and, in 2013 a PhD in Composition at Unicamp and UNIRIO.
In 1997, he released his first solo CD, the “Nova Música Brasileira”, with some works dedicated to him and others by renowned Brazilian music composers such as Garoto, Radamés Gnatalli, Edino Krieger, and the people from Paraná, Waltel Branco, Jaime Zenamon, Guilherme Campos, Octavio Camargo, Norton Dudeque and Chico Mello. This cd was directed by Orlando Fraga with whom studied music performance on guitar.
He specializes in contemporary Brazilian music with an emphasis on guitar extended techniques. In 1999, he released his 2nd solo CD, Música Brasileira Desconstruída Sob Encomenda (Brazilian Music deconstructed by order), written especially for this recording with pieces by José Eduardo Gramani, Octavio Camargo, Guilherme Campos, Arrigo Barnabé, Norton Dudeque and Chico Mello. In 2012, he released the album Tu Tausan Tu Elve with his own composition and by André Abujamra. In 2018 he released his CD Violão Expandido with works by Sergio Assad, Clarice Assad, Jaime Zenamon, Edino Krieger, Arthur Kampela, Alessandro Ferreira and Chico Mello
At Editora Paulus production, he participated in the CD Joias da Música Antiga (Jewerls of Early Music) in 1994, together with Angra Vocal Quartet and musical direction by Roberto de Regina (a very known harpsichord player and conductor), with songs from the renaissance and baroque and lute works by John Dowland and J.S. Bach. He participated in recordings of contemporary music by composers such as Harry Crowl and João José Felix Pereira. And by Classical Tracks directed by Tim Rescala, Mario recorded romantic period pieces by Fernando Sor and Francisco Tárrega.
He has regularly performed solo recitals and diversified performances, with repertoires of Brazilian music, having already performed at important festivals in Brazil and abroad, such as his participation in the opening of The Mannes Guitar Seminar New York 2012, 2016 and 2019. Festival de Guitarras de Buenos Aires (1998); Schaffhausen Konzervatorium, Switzerland; IBRIT Milan (1999, 2006); University of Reading (1999); Guitar Festival in Otoño Toluca, Conservatory of las Rosas Morelia, and Radio IMER Ciudad de Mexico (2011); Guitar and PopJazz Festival Konservatorium, Oslo Music Academy and Brazilian Embassy Oslo and Helsinki (2011).
He has been performing as a soloist in orchestras, highlighting Villa-Lobos Concert with Santa Maria Orchestra (1998), Blumenau Orchestra (1999), Curitiba Chamber Orchestra (1998, 2012), UFRJ Symphony Orchestra (2018).
Since 1991, parallel to his artistic career, the guitarist has also been a professor at the Paraná State University (EMBAP-School of Music and Fine Arts) Universidade Estadual do Paraná (EMBAP)
He was Coordinator of 6 Editions of the Embap Academic Guitar Symposium. He has already made soundtracks for cinema and TV, highlighting the Biarritz Prize with his CD in the documentary Diário de Uma Busca (Flavia Castro) and he has written the screenplay and also present of the documentary Desvendando o Violão Expandido (2022) (UNRAVELING EXTENDED GUITAR) directed by Anaí Bagnolin and produced by Alvaro Collaço. He has pioneered work in the field of contemporary guitar where this repertoire dialogues with contemporary dance. This work started in 2004 with the dancer and choreographer Rocio Infante and has had performances in Brazil, Rome, Milan, New York. The Residue with Rocio Infante and directed by Lu Grimaldi was presented in Hattiesburg, Boston (2015) and New York (2016). In 2018, he releases his CD Violão Expandido in Brazil, and at The New York Guitar Seminar 2019, a tribute to the Cuban composer Leo Brouwer.
Albums
SOLO ALBUMS
Violão Expandido (2018)
Tu Tausan Tu Elve (2012)
Música Brasileira Desconstruída Sob Encomenda (1999)
Nova Música Brasileira (1997)
PARTICIPAÇÕES
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O Violão Plural de Waltel Branco (obra Chimarrita) (2011)
Harry Crowl, Sonatas Austrais (obra Assimetrias) 2008
João José Felix Pereira, cd Releituras (obra Maquimal) 2006
Joias da Música Antiga (Ed. Paulus, 1994)
Quarteto de Violões de Curitiba, 1990 (Album, vinil)
