Breakout Session
Canções e modinhas: A Lecture-Recital of Brazilian Art Song Repertoire
Monday, June 25 • 4:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m.
Presenter: Marcía Porter, Lynn Kompass
Location: Cohiba 1-4
Brazilian art song literature reflects the influence of several cultures, among them African, European, and indigenous. There is a vast array of Brazilian classical vocal literature generally unknown outside of South America. This lecture recital will offer a brief overview of the history of the music and feature songs by composers who were pioneers in the development of Brazilian art song. Some of the composers to be included on the program are Antônio Carlos Gomes, one of the first Afro-Brazilian composers to gain international recognition for his operas; Alberto Nepomuceno, who was known as the “father of Brazilian art song;” Heitor Villa-Lobos, whose works and teachings were influential to the development of music education in Brazil; and Francisco Mignone, whose works demonstrate a range of influences including bel canto style, atonal techniques, and folk music.
About Marcía Porter
Award-winning soprano Marcía Porter made her New York solo recital debut in Weill Recital Hall at Carnegie Hall in 2005. An engaging performer, she has sung with various national and international orchestras and maintains an active recital schedule both nationally and abroad. Porter is a Fulbright scholar who specializes in Brazilian Portuguese lyric diction and song repertoire. She co-taught a course on African American and Brazilian vocal literature at the Universidade de São Paulo (Brazil) and has given numerous master classes and presentations on the subject. Porter was the 2004 National Association of Teachers of Singing (NATS) Artist Award winner and a participant in the 2004 NATS Intern program. Porter is associate professor of voice at the Florida State University College of Music. She received degrees in performance from Northwestern University and from the University of Michigan, where she studied with Shirley Verrett.
About Lynn Kompass
Pianist Lynn Kompass maintains an active career as vocal coach, chamber musician, recital collaborator, and teacher. Currently she is associate professor in the voice department at the University of South Carolina. As a pianist Kompass has participated in the Steans Vocal Institute (Ravinia Music Festival), Aspen Music Festival, and the Banff Centre for the Arts. As an opera coach she has worked at the University of Tennessee, Aspen Opera Theater, Greenville Light Opera Works, Varna International Opera Academy in Bulgaria, and Opera Brasil. Kompass has also performed in association with Ravinia Music Festival, Chicago Opera Theater, Chicago Chamber Musicians, Michigan Chamber Players, and Chicago Civic Orchestra. Past performances include recitals at Weill Recital Hall in New York City, Strings in the Mountain Festival in Colorado, North Carolina Art Museum, Nicholas Roerich Museum (in New York City), as well venues in China, South Korea, Thailand, Brazil, and Europe. She received her graduate degrees from the University of Michigan, where she studied with Martin Katz.
