Maria Helena Rosas Fernandes facts for kids
Maria Helena Rosas Fernandes (born in 1933) is a talented Brazilian musician. She is known as a composer (someone who writes music), a pianist (someone who plays the piano), a musicologist (someone who studies music history and theory), a conductor (someone who leads a musical group), and a music teacher.
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Her Early Life and Studies
Maria Helena Rosas Fernandes was born in a town called Brazópolis in the Minas Gerais state of Brazil. She loved music from a young age.
She studied piano at the Brazilian Conservatory of Music in Guanabara State. Later, she went to the Superior School of Music Santa Marcelina. There, she learned how to compose music and how to conduct musical groups.
Her Career and Achievements
After finishing her studies, Fernandes became a busy musician and educator. She worked as a conductor for choirs, leading groups of singers. She also taught music at different conservatories, helping young students learn about music.
Maria Helena Rosas Fernandes also did research on Brazilian indigenous music. This means she studied the traditional music of Brazil's native peoples. Her own musical pieces have been played in many countries around the world.
She has won several awards for her work. In 2006, she received the Nancy Van de Vate International Composition Prize for Opera. She won this award for her opera called Marília de Dirceu. An opera is a play where the story is told mostly through singing.
Her Musical Works
Maria Helena Rosas Fernandes has written many musical pieces. Some of her well-known works include:
- Prelúdio
- Valsa
- Cantilena
- Canto de Maricatu
- Marília de Dirceu, an opera
Recordings of Her Music
You can also find her compositions on music recordings. One CD that features her piano music is:
- Brasileira: Piano Music by Brazilian Women (released in 2003) by Centaur Records
