Heitor Villa-Lobos (1887-1959)

The Virginia Commonwealth University Department of Music will host an international festival honoring Heitor Villa-Lobos on March 27-29, featuring music and seminars that celebrate the prolific and influential Brazilian composer.

“Experiencing Villa-Lobos” will showcase a global collection of performers and presenters in a series of concerts, discussions and paper presentations that will illuminate and commemorate the composer’s life and work. The festival starts with an opening reception and concert the night of March 27 and concludes on March 29 with the showing of “Green Mansions,” a 1959 film starring Audrey Hepburn that featured Villa-Lobos’ musical score.

“My expectation is that the event will represent a landmark in the dissemination of Villa-Lobos’ music in (the United States),” said Marcelo Rodolfo of the Villa-Lobos Museum in Rio de Janeiro.

Villa-Lobos composed music for almost every instrument and ensemble. Consequently, “Experiencing Villa-Lobos” will hold concerts that demonstrate his diversity of interests, including chamber music, orchestral music, choral and vocal music and guitar music.

Musicians performing Villa-Lobos’ music during the festival include:

• Grammy-nominated pianist Sonia Rubinsky, who has recorded Villa-Lobos’ music for eight CDs
• Cuarteto Latinoamericano, which has recorded all 17 of Villa-Lobos’ string quartets
• Albert Regni, principal saxophonist for the New York Philharmonic, who will perform with the VCU Symphony Orchestra

Also highlighting the festival are three new compositions dedicated to Villa-Lobos’ work. They are:

• “Musica visto que Villa-Lobos,” by Ken Metz, winner of the Villa-Lobos Festival Composition Competition. Featuring the VCU Percussion Ensemble.
• “Expansions on ‘A Mare Encheu,’” by Doug Richards, a piece inspired by a short children’s song composed by Villa-Lobos. Featuring the VCU Symphony Orchestra with VCU Jazz Orchestra I, the Greater Richmond Children’s Choir, and guest soloists.
• “Choros Modernos,” by Frank Mullen III. Featuring an ensemble of 40 guitarists.

The festival’s keynote speaker is Grayson Wagstaff, associate professor and chair of musicology in the Benjamin T. Rome School of Music at the Catholic University of America. He is also director of the Center for Graduate Study of Latin American Music.

Most of the festival’s events will be held in the Sonia Vlahcevic Concert Hall, W.E. Singleton Center for the Performing Arts, 922 Park Ave.

The festival registration fee of $125 covers admission to all events. Tickets to individual events may be purchased through the VCU Music Box Office at (804) 828-6776. Some events are free.

Thurs., Mar. 27
5 p.m. - 6:30pm – Opening Reception at the Scott House. Admission: $25 in advance. Contact VCU Department of Music, (804) 828-1166, prior to March 15.

7 p.m. – Keynote address in Concert Hall

8 p.m. – Opening Concert featuring VCU faculty, alumni, and guest artists in Concert Hall (pianist Sonia Rubinsky will perform on this concert). Admission: $10 general admission; free for VCU faculty, staff and students with VCU ID.

Fri., Mar. 28
8 a.m.– 9:30am – Presentation of papers in Concert Hall and at Grace and Holy Trinity Church (concurrent sessions). Admission: Free, ticket not required.

9:30 a.m.-11 a.m. – Sonia Rubinsky piano master class in Concert Hall. Admission: Free, ticket not required.

11:30am – 1 p.m. – Concert by selected artists in Concert Hall and at Grace and Holy Trinity Church (concurrent sessions). Admission: $10 general admission; free for VCU faculty, staff, and students with VCU ID.

1:30 p.m. – 3 p.m. – Presentation of papers in Concert Hall and at Grace and Holy Trinity Church (concurrent sessions). Admission: Free, ticket not required.

3:30 p.m. – 4:30 p.m. – Performance by high school ensembles and soloists in Concert Hall and at Grace and Holy Trinity Church (concurrent sessions). Admission: Free, ticket not required.

5 p.m.– 6:30 p.m. Vocal concert featuring VCU students/faculty/alumni, and the Commonwealth Singers in Concert Hall. Admission: $10 general admission; free for VCU faculty, staff, and students with VCU ID.

8 p.m. – VCU Symphony Concert in Concert Hall featuring saxophonist Albert Regni. Admission: $10 general admission; free for VCU faculty, staff and students with VCU ID

Sat., Mar. 29
9 a.m. – 10:30 a.m. – Presentation of papers in Concert Hall and Business Building Auditorium (concurrent sessions). Admission: Free, ticket not required.

11 a.m. – 12 noon – Round Table discussion on the life and music of Villa-Lobos, (Sonia Rubinsky, members of Cuarteto Latinoamericano, other guest scholars ). Admission: Free, ticket not required.

12:00 p.m. – Luncheon reception for Round Table panel and symposium participants at the VCU Alumni House. Admission: Included in symposium fee (individual tickets not available).

1:30 p.m. – 3 p.m. – String Master Class featuring members of Cuarteto Latinoamericano in Concert Hall. Admission: Free, ticket not required.

3:30 p.m. – 5 p.m. The Brazilian Guitar – from Villa-Lobos to the Present, featuring VCU faculty/alumni/students/guest artists in Concert Hall. Admission: $10 general admission; free for VCU faculty, staff and students with VCU ID

5:30 p.m.-7 p.m. - Concert by selected artists in Concert Hall and Business Building Auditorium. Admission: $10 general admission; free for VCU faculty, staff, and students with VCU ID.

8 p.m. - Closing concert by Cuarteto Latinoamericano in Concert Hall. Admission: $25 adult, $10 student. Reserved seating. Free for VCU music students and faculty.

10 p.m. – Green Mansions Film, starring Audrey Hepburn and Anthony Perkins. Musical score by Villa-Lobos. Concert Hall. Admission: $5 general admission; free for VCU faculty, staff, and students with VCU ID.

For more information, click here to visit the festival’s web site.

– The information above was provided by Tom Gresham, VCU Communications & Public Relations. Image from Unicamp