Paulo Vanzolini facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Paulo Vanzolini
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Vanzolini in 2011.
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| Background information | |
| Birth name | Paulo Emilio Vanzolini |
| Born | April 25, 1924 |
| Origin | São Paulo, Brazil |
| Died | April 28, 2013 (aged 89) |
| Genres | samba |
| Occupation(s) | Singer, songwriter, zoologist |
| Instruments | Voice |
| Years active | 1942–2013 |
Paulo Emilio Vanzolini (born April 25, 1924 – died April 28, 2013) was a talented Brazilian scientist and music composer. He was famous for his samba songs, like "Ronda" and "Volta por Cima". He was also a respected scientist who studied reptiles and amphibians, a field called herpetology. Many people consider him one of the best samba composers from São Paulo. Even when he was older, he continued his research at the University of São Paulo (USP).
Contents
His Early Life and School Years
Paulo Vanzolini was born in São Paulo, Brazil. When he was four, his family moved to Rio de Janeiro for two years. In 1930, he returned to São Paulo and stayed there for his studies.
In 1942, Paulo started studying medicine. During this time, he often spent nights out with friends. It was during these fun nights that he started writing his first songs.
In 1944, he worked at a radio station called Rádio América with his cousin. But he had to stop when he joined the army. After two years, he went back to studying medicine. He also became a teacher and a researcher at the Museum of Zoology at the University of São Paulo.
He finished his medicine degree in 1947. A year later, he got married and moved to the USA. There, he earned his PhD in zoology from Harvard University. This made him a highly educated scientist.
Leading the Museum of Zoology
From 1963 to 1993, Vanzolini was the director of the Museum of Zoology. He became a very well-known zoologist. He helped build one of the biggest collections of reptiles and a large library about these animals. Even after he retired in 1993, he kept working with the museum until he passed away.
His Music Career
Paulo Vanzolini wrote his first samba songs while he was studying medicine. But his most famous songs were created in the 1950s. After getting his PhD and coming back to Brazil in 1951, he wrote "Ronda". In 1959, he composed "Volta por cima". Many famous Brazilian singers recorded these songs.
For many years, even though his songs were popular, Vanzolini never recorded his own album. Finally, in 1967, his friends Luís Carlos Paraná and Marcus Pereira helped him produce an album. It was called Onze sambas e uma capoeira. Famous artists like Toquinho and Chico Buarque also sang on it.
In 1969, he worked with Toquinho on new songs. Their partnership resulted in the album Boca da Noite, released by Toquinho that same year. Toquinho was Vanzolini's only music partner during his career.
In 1981, Vanzolini recorded Por ele mesmo. This was the only album where he sang his own songs. Other than this album, the only way to hear him sing was at a club called Boate Jogral, where he often performed.
In 2003, Vanzolini was honored with a new album called Acerto de contas. This album featured a collection of his songs sung by some of Brazil's most famous artists.
Awards and Honors
Paulo Vanzolini received many awards and special honors for his work in both music and science. Some of these include:
- The APCA Premium (São Paulo Association of Art Critics Premium) for his music.
- Being a member of the Brazilian Academy of Sciences.
- A special award from the Guggenheim Foundation in New York City for his science work.
- The Great Cross of the National Scientific Merit Order in Brazil.
- The Rio Branco Order.
- The Anchieta Medal.
Discography
- 1967: Onze sambas e uma capoeira (recorded by various artists)
- 1974: A música de Paulo Vanzolini
- 1981: Por ele mesmo
- 2003: Acerto de contas
Images for kids
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Vanzolini in 2011.
