Conductor and Soloist: Ransom Wilson

10/16/2011

Conductor: Arthur Barbosa

Conductor: Emmanuele Baldini

Conductor: Emmanuele Baldini.

Conductor: Lavard Skou-Larsen

In tandem with his work as a cardiovascular surgeon, with wide experience and pioneering techniques in heart transplants and coronary bypass surgeries in the state, Ivo Abrahão Nesralla has made a major cultural contribution to the state of Rio Grande do Sul.  Since January 2003, he has presided over the Fundação Orquestra Sinfônica de Porto Alegre-FOSPA (Porto Alegre Symphony Orchestra Foundation).  He was nominated to the position for a second term after the Orchestra´s musicians canvassed to bring him back to the chair.

During Mr. Nesralla´s first tenure as FOSPA´s president from 1983 to 1991, two landmark events take place: the OSPA Theater opens in Porto Alegre and Natal Luz debuts in Gramado.  Also during this time, three competitions are held to fill openings within the Orchestra.

Under the current management, the goal is to bring OSPA back to its roots as the best orchestra in Latin America. Another goal is to acquire its own facilities, as well as having a solid project which will engage OSPA within the community by spreading classical music throughout the different social tiers.

During his tenure as president of the II and III Mercosur Visual Arts Biennial (1999-2001), Mr.  Nesralla made a fundamental contribution to the visual arts in the state by strengthening its role as the largest visual arts exhibit in Latin America.  In 2001, he was bestowed the Knighthood of the Order of Cultural Merit,  awarded by Fernando Henrique Cardoso, former president of Brazil.

In the cardiovascular field, Ivo Nesralla continues carrying out pioneering surgical procedures.  In 1999, he implanted the country´s first implantable electric heart and in 2000, carried out the first robot-assisted surgery in Latin America.  He is currently president of the Institute of Cardiology, where he has worked since his early days as a surgeon. He has held office as the Institute´s president four times.

Rua 24 de Outubro, 850/ 305
CEP: 90510 000 – Porto Alegre (RS) – Brazil
55  51  3222 7387

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
João Gastão Tellier Flores
(ds.ospa@ospa.org.br)

 MUSIC ADVISOR

Elisa da Silva e Cunha – coordinator
(assessoria.artistica@ospa.org.br) 

OSPA PRESS ADVISORY

Raphaela Donaduce – journalist

Douglas Bernardt – intern

Manfredo Schmiedt

Manfredo Schmiedt

Manfredo Schmiedt was born in Porto Alegrein southern Brazil. He began musical studies at the age of 10 and took a special interest in the trumpet. He is currently the Chief Conductor and Music Director of the Symphony Orchestra of UCS – University of Caxias do Sul, and conductor of the OSPA Symphony Choir.

Manfredo Schmiedtreceived his masters in conducting from the University of Georgia (U.S.) and a graduate degree from UFRGS – Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul.  He has attended conducting courses in Germany, Holland, Argentina, the U.S., and Brazil, and has  also studied under acclaimed conducters such as Eleazar de Carvalho, Roberto Duarte, Lutero Rodrigues, Ernani Aguiar, Carlos Alberto Pinto da Fonseca, Emilio de César, Arlindo Teixeira, Hans van Homberg, Helmut Rilling, Jean Fournet, Eric Ericson, Mark Cedel, Melinda O’Neal and Yoel Levi.

Mr. Schmiedt´s exceptional scholarly achievements earned him two important awards in the United States: “Pi Kappa Lambda Music Honor Society” and “Director’s Excellence Award”. He was guest conductor at the “High School Workshop” sponsored by the Universityof Georgiaand has twice won the top prize in the “Young Conductors Competition”, sponsored by OSPA – Porto Alegre Symphony Orchestra.  In addition, he was the recipient of the “Açorianos Music Award” for his role as conductor in the play “The Soldier´s Story”, by Stravinsky.

As a choir conductor, his most notable works have been with the OSPA Symphony Choir, the 25 de Julho Choir of Porto Alegre, and the Câmara Ars Vocalis Choir.  Over the course of two years, Mr. Schmiedt was assistant conductor of the Symphony Orchestra of the University of Georgia (U.S.) and for four years, assisted conductor Isaac Karabtchevsky at OSPA.

In addition to his engagements with the Symphony Orchestra  at Caxias do Sul University and OSPA, he has been the guest conductor of the following orchestras:  Symphony Orchestra of Sodre (Uruguay), Symphony Orchestra of Provincial de Rosário (Argentina), Symphony Orchestra of the National University of San Juan (Argentina), Petrobrás Symphony Orchestra (Rio de Janeiro), São Paulo University Orchestra (São Paulo), São Caetano do Sul Philharmonic Orchestra (São Paulo), Campinas Municipal Symphony Orchestra (São Paulo), Espírito Santo Philharmonic Orchestra (Espírito Santo), SESI Camerata  – Vitória (Espírito Santo) , ULBRA Chamber Orchestra (Rio Grande do Sul), São Pedro Theater Chamber Orchestra (Rio Grande do Sul), SESI-Fundarte Chamber Orchestra (Rio Grande do Sul), Belgrade Philharmonic Orchestra (Servia), Radio and Television Symphony Orchestra (Servia), and the Albany Symphony Orchestra (U.S.).

The repertoire includes pieces by Mozart,  Beethoven, Mahler, Mendelssohn, Gounod, Brahms, Bach, Haendel, Haydn, Vivaldi, Orff, Verdi, Puccini, Bizet, Rachmaninov, Stravinsky, Rimsky-Korsakov, Tchaikovsky, Mussorgsky, Borodin, and others.

The Choir is led by conductor  Manfredo Schmiedt with support from assistant conductor Diego Biasibetti; Ricardo Barppe, singing professor; and Fernando Rauber Gonçalves, pianist.