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BIOGRAPHY

Foto: Junior Careca

Dimitri Cervo (Brazil, 1968), created multifaceted works such as Toronubá, The Brazilian Four Seasons and a Trombone Concerto (premiered by Peter Steiner in the USA and Europe) that have been widely performed in Brazil and abroad. As a frequent conductor and piano performer of his own works, Cervo has collaborated with various ensembles and orchestras. In 2019 he released a praised album with his orchestral music, conducting Venezuela Symphonic Orchestra. In 2021 he conducted the premiere of his violin concerto The Brazilian Four Seasons. In 2022 he was nominated for the Latin Grammy. Cervo has works included in CDs by several artists, released by labels such as Naxos, Centaur Records, Universal Music, among others.

Between 1997 and 2008 he created the Brazil 2000 Series, a set of works for various instrumental forces, that received performances in Brazil, United States, Argentina, Paraguay, Venezuela, Portugal, France, Germany, and Asia. In 2010 he started a new series of works, the Brazil 2010 Series, devoted to concerts for soloists and String, Chamber or Symphonic Orchestra. These works feature Brazilian musical elements in mixture with several other influences, such as classical indian music (Konakkol), in a highly hybridized, at same time personal, aesthetic.

Cervo presented his first compositions in public at age fourteen. In 1991 he took composition classes (with Franco Donatoni) and film music (with Ennio Morricone) at the Accademia Chigiana of Sienna (Italy). Back to Brazil he presented several recitals with his chamber music and earned his master degree in Composition, at Salvador (UFBA), Bahia. While in Salvador the contact with the Afro-Brazilian percussion music influenced his work in several ways. 

In 2009 Cervo conducted the premiere of his Concerto for Guitar and Chamber Orchestra at StudioClio, and performed Toronubá with the Sergipe Symphonic Orchestra, in Curitiba. From this city the orchestra continued its national tour, performing Toronubá for audiences in Brazil’s main concert halls.

In 2010 he performed Toronubá at the piano, with Orquestra Municipal de São Paulo, and had premiered Brasil Amazônico by Porto Alegre Symphonic Orchestra. In this year Cervo had two major orchestral works, Toronubá and Toccata Amazônica, performed at Campos do Jordão International Music Festival.

In 2011 he conducted, in Rio de Janeiro, the premiere of Brazil 2010 Series n. 5 – Concerto for Flute and 8 Cellos, a work that was highly acclaimed. He also had a concert entirely devoted to his works, with Amazonas Chamber Orchestra, in which he performed on the piano as soloist. 

In 2012 Cervo had the premiere of Abertura Brasil 2012 by Orquestra Sinfônica Brasileira and in 2013 he had Abertura Brasil 2014 comissioned and premiered by Orquestra Petrobras Sinfônica, in Rio de Janeiro.

In 2015 he cretated Abertura Rio 450 Anos (homage to the city Rio de Janeiro), premiered by Orquestra Sinfônica Brasileira and had his Concertante for Five Timpani and Orchestra premiered by Orquestra Petrobras Sinfônica.

In 2016 he was granted a National Award, from FUNARTE, to create Rapsódia Maracatu for piano and orchestra, which was premiered by the composer at the piano in 2017 Rio de Janeiro’s Bienal of Contemporary Music. 

In 2018 Cervo conducted a concert and recorded a CD with Orquesta Sinfónica de Venezuela, in Caracas, featuring his orchestral music. His work Toro-Lobiana for cello octet was presented in Boston by BoCoCelli, a cello ensemble from Boston Conservatory, coached by Rhonda Rider. Toro-Lobiana was also performed in Seul and Vienna. In 2019 his Violin Concerto  “The Brazilian Four Seasons” was parcially premiered by Daniel Guedes and Orquestra Sinfônica Nacional. Besides his activities with composition and performance Cervo serves as a full professor at the Music Department of Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul (UFRGS).

His works have been performed by more than 40 orchestras in Brazil and abroad, and by percussion groups such as John Boudler e Grupo PIAP, Ney Rosauro and Miami Percussion Ensemble, and by cello ensembles such as BoCoCelli and UDI Cello Ensemble.

His orchestral and soloist music has been led by conductors like Isaac Karabtchevsky, Guilherme Mannis, Wagner Polistchuk, Daniel Guedes, Lee Mills, Julian Pellicano, Ada Peleg, and performed by internationsl soloists such as Fábio Brum, Peter Steiner, James Strauss, Amaro Dubois, Cármelo de los Santos, Tilly Cernitori, Daniel Guedes, among others.

Besides Brazil his works were performed in several countries, like the United States, Venezuela, Argentina, Paraguay, Costa Rica, Mexico, Portugal, Spain, France, Germany, Bulgaria, Greece, Switzerland, Norway, Russia, Israel, Serbia, South Corea, Vietnam, Singapore and Niger.