Maria Bragança belongs to the successful generation of Brazilian musicians who play contemporary music.
She was born in Itabira, Minas Gerais State, Brazil and studied music both in Brazil and in Germany.
Her exclusive personal style is a perfect mixture of Brazilian jazz and Brazilian traditional folk songs, with elements of classical and contemporary music.
Maria Bragança divides her time between Germany and Brazil. She began her studies in Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais in 1978 and played in the Youth Symphonic Orchestra of the City of São Paulo. There, she furthered her education at the music school, later she graduated as concert saxophonist at the Music Academy Robert Schumann in Dusseldorf.
Through seminars with famous musicians like Paulo Moura (Brazil), David Liebman (Koln), Jean Marie Londeaux (Bordeaux), Ivan Roth (Switzerland), Arno Bomkamp (Amsterdam), she refined her sound and musical expression. She played in concerts with Roberto Szidon in Switzerland and Germany as well as with Djalma Corrêa in the Concerto Naturalis in Brazil. In the dance concert “Out of the Cool” she performed with dancer Sonie Mota in Cologne, Bonn and Dusseldorf. With guitarist Luiz Nonata she was guest performer in the SESC Pompei Cultural Center in São Paulo and with the Maria Braganca Quartet at the International Theatre in Frankfurt. Maria Bragança also played at the Akademie Brasil-Europa in Cologne at the event “Brasil 2001 ..: dealing with the baroque as a requirement for science and practice in Brazil,” and at the Winter Music Festival in Brazil.
Education
1975
- Start of studies in Art & Music at the Conservatorium U.F.M.G. – Belo Horizonte, Brazil
- Fundacao de Educacao Artistica – Minas Gerais, Brazil
- Violine Lessons by Prof. Bossa
- Lessons of Harmony by Prof. Oilian Lanna
1980 -1984
- Study of Arts / Music Conservatório Musical Brooklin Paulista Brazil
- Violin Lessons by Prof. Marie Noel
- Saxophone and Clarinet Lessons by Paulo Sion
- Chamber Music and Harmony Lessons by Prof. Oswaldo Collarusso
1984 – 1987
- Studies of Arts / Music at the University of Music, F.M.U. São Paulo, Brazil
- Violin Lessons by Prof. Paulo Bosísio and Prof. Fiamingh
- Chamber music by Prof. Marília Pini
1988
- Master of Arts & Music – „Concert Violinist Degree“ from the University of São Paulo, Brazil
1994-2000
Secondary Studies:
- Instrumental and Music Pedagogy at Musikhochschule Robert Schumann, Düsseldorf, Germany
- Saxophone Lessons by Ivan Roth and Martin Hilnner
- Chamber Music by Prof. Roberto Szidon
2000
- Masters “Concert Saxophonist Degree”, University of Music, Düsseldorf, Germany
Seminars (selection)
- Alberto Jaffé Pertropólis Brazil
- Paulo Moura Londrina Brazil
- Prof. Kohrroeter Composition São Paulo Brazil
- David Liebman Köln Germany
- Jean Marie Londeaux Bordeaux France,
- Ivan Roth Basel Switzerland
- Arno Bomkamp Amsterdam Netherlands
Performances
- 1978 Member of the Youth Symphonic Orchestra of the City of São Paulo, Brazil
- 1979 Member of the String Quartet, Donation Sao Caetano São Paulo, Brazil
- 1979 – 1989 Several Performances in Different Brazilian Cities
- 1995 Instrumental Trio with Caxi Rajao and Djalma Correa, Brazil
- 1996 Concerts with Pianist Roberto Szidon in Sion, Switzerland
- 1999 Concert Premiere for CD „Barro oco“, Brazil
- 2000
- Dance Performance/Concert „Out of the Cool“ with dancer Sonia Mota in Köln, Bonn, Düsseldorf , Germany
- Trio Instrumental with Djalma Correa and Nonato Luiz , Sesc Pompéia Theater, São Paulo, Brazil
- Maria Bragança Quartett in Internationale Theater,Frankfurt, Germany
- Schumann University of Music, Düsseldorf, Germany:
- Concerts with Pianist Roberto Szidon
- Performances with the Pianist Michael Collins in the Brazilian Academy , Düsseldorf, Germany
- Winter Music Festival, Theater Carlos Drumond de Andrade, Itabira,Sanctus Franciscus Church Ouro Preto, Brazil
- 2001
- Concerts with Pianist Michael Collins in the Academy Brazil-Europe, Köln, Germany
- „Salon“ Concert for Ebel Uhren GmbH, München, Germany
- Museum Art Sacra, Parati Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
- Theater Sao Pedro, São Paulo, Brazil
- Bösendorfer Saal, Wien Austria
- Carl Orff Saal, Gasteig, München Germany
- 2003
- Concert with Guitarist Celso Moreira in the Museum A.Barreto Belo Horizonte, Brazil
- Performance of 100 Years Ary Barroso, as Special Guest of the Philharmonic Orchestra together with the singer Jane Duboc, Theater Palácio das Artes Belo Horizonte, Brazil
- 2004
- Concert ALMA BARROCA
- International Theatre Frankfurt, Germany
- Concert in Kultur Punkt Friedenskirche Krefeld , Germany
- Cooperation in the Film „Eine musikalische Reise / A Musical Journey” with the German All Stars, a WDR TV Production, Salvador Brazil with Eberhardt Weber, Manfred Schoof, Klaus Doldinger, Raimundo Sodré
- Concert in Donation Rui Barbosa, Rio de Janeiro Brazil
- Concert with Pianist Maria Teresa Madeira, São Paulo Brazil
- Performance Maria Bragança Quartet in Jazz Schmiede, Düsseldorf, Germany
- Popkomm, Berlin Germany
- Womex, Essen Germany
- 2005 Concert Trova Brasileira Jemmaper Theatre (L`Année du Brésil en France) , France
- 2006 Concert Trova Brasileira, Berlin
- 2007 Jazz Hilden Festival Trova Brasileira, Hilden
- 2008
- Grande Teatro Palacio Das Artes BH Brazil
- Teatre Sao Pedro Porto Alegre Brazil
- Theatre Francisco Nunes Bh Brazil
- Museum da Republica Rio de Janeiro Brazil
- Summer festival in Dusseldorf with Toninho Ferragutti
- Jazz Savassi Maria Braganca Quarttet
- Festival Tudo è jazz Maria Braganca Quartet
- 2009 Prêmio Satedi Duo com o malabarista Luis Sartori do Vale
- 2010
- Abertura do Festival Música para Todos com o percussionista Djalma Corrêa UFMG BH Brasil
- Maria Bragança e Maria Teresa Madeira Fundação de Educação Artística
- Maria Bragança e Maria Teresa Madeira Teatro da Assembléia
- Abertura do Festival Gourmet Brumadinho Maria Bragança e Kadu Vianna
- Centro Cultural José Maria Barra Maria Bragança e Kadu Vianna Uberaba MG
- Maria Bragança e Maria Teresa Madeira Centro Cultural José Maria Barra
- Quarteto Instrumental Jazz Travessa BH MG
- Premiere CD Alma Barroca Sesi Araxá Brazil