Ethnic Brazilian Choral Music on Indigenous Themes

MÁRIO ROBERT ASSEF has been engaged in choir activities since 1981 as singer as well as promoter of choral activities. Since 1988, he has been the director of several groups. In 1995, he completed his Music Teacher License degree at the University of Rio de Janeiro after having attended Karlsruhe Musik Hochschule for three years as an exchange student. In the area of choir conducting, he has participated in several national and international courses: John Pool (England), Martin Schmidt (Germany), Cees Rotwel (Holland), Elza Lakschvita (Brazil), Carlos Alberto Figueiredo (Brazil), and Tonu Kalujste (Estonia). Recently, he participated as active conductor in the Vancouver Chamber Choir Annual Symposium for Choir Conducting under the direction of Jon Washburn. During his time in Germany, Mario directed the female choir of Syrthos Folk Group, specializing in Bulgarian music and dance, which piqued his interest in folk music. In recent years Mario and his choir have participated in national and international choir festivals in Brazil and other countries, with a repertoire based mainly on Brazilian choir music with special emphasis on ethnic choral compositions. His activities with the Rio de Janeiro State University Choir, Altivoz, has resulted in one compact disc of Brazilian Choral Music, Desenredos and a score album with the same title.