", celebrating the popular
composer’s 80th birthday. In 1987, he made arrangements and the musical script of "Garganta canta
Beatles" (Garganta sings The Beatles), considered as one of the best shows of the year by the Jornal do
Brasil and the Encyclopaedia Britannica of Brazil.
During the period form 1992 to 1994, he worked at the National Library Foundation, where he held the
positions of Advisor and, later, Head of the Sound Archives and Musical Division.
Some of his works were granted awards and prizes in national and international composition contests,
including: "Brincadêra dum matroá", for choir, "Toré, dos cabocolinhos", for string orchestra, and
"Divertimento... mesmo", for nonet, finalists in the 1st National Composition Contest promoted by the
Madrigal Renascentista de Belo Horizonte in 1974, the composition contests promoted by the
Government of Paraíba State in 1976, and by the Goethe Institute in 1977, respectively; "Micro-concerto
no. 1", for flute and chamber orchestra, honourable mention at the Esso Prize for Classical Music of 1979;
"Widersprüche (Contradições)", for septet, second prize winner at the Latin-American Composition Contest, promoted by the
Goethe Institute of Munich of 1975; "Suíte quadrada", for guitar, second prize winner at the National
Composition Contest , promoted by INM/Funarte and Vitale Publishers in 1978-79; "Cobras e lagartos",
for choir and orchestra, Best creative work award of the MPB-Shell Contest, promoted by Globo
Television Network in 1981. [See Performers]
He has been commissioned to write several pieces, most notably: "O morcego", for choir, commissioned
by INM/Funarte in 1978; "Peça de confronto para coro misto juvenil (descontraído!)", for choir, commissioned
by Jornal do Brasil for the 7th Choir Contest of Rio de Janeiro in 1980; "Conversa mole", for
bass and piano, requested by INM/Funarte in 1982; "Ária para Sônia", for orchestra, commissioned in 1985
by the Rio Foundation for the Brazilian Music Orchestra conducted by Roberto Gnattali; "Rhapsody
around the clock", arrangement on rock themes for orchestra, requested by the organising committee of
the 2nd Rock in Rio festival (Artplan Advertising and Globo TV Network) in 1990; "Peace to the City", for soprano,
violin, violoncello and piano, commissioned by the World Council of Churches for Expo-Hannover - 2000;
"Suíte quase clássica", for woodwind quintet and drums (optional), commissioned by Funarte in 2010.
Since 1976, the composer has taken part in various different events related to music held in Brazil, such
as: Contemporary Brazilian Music Biennial, organised by Funarte; New Music Festival of Santos City;
Contemporary Music Festival of São Paulo City; the Music of the 20th Century series, promoted by Jornal
do Brasil and The Brazilian Symphonic Orchestra, between 1980 and 1984; Rio de Janeiro Choir Contest,
promoted by Jornal do Brasil; Up-To-Date Brazilian Music Panorama, held by the Federal University of
Rio de Janeiro School of Music, as of 1978; Encounters with Brazilian Contemporary Music, a UNI-Rio
university initiative form 1983 to 1984; Contemporary Music Festival of Belo Horizonte City, and also
several music festivals held in Brasilia, Salvador, Porto Alegre and other major Brazilian cities.
Abroad his works have been performed in Latin America (Mexico, Venezuela, Chile, Bolivia, Argentina,
Uruguay and Paraguay), Europe (Great Britain, France, Spain, Italy, Germany, Austria, Poland, Hungary,
Belgium, the Netherlands), United States, Africa (Angola), and have featured in Brazilian Music Exhibitions in
Japan (1976) and Canada (1978).
During 1995 and 1996, the composer was Director of the Music Division of the Arts and Culture Municipal Institute -
RioArte, the unit in charge of promoting several musical events in Rio de Janeiro City, as well as
publishing CDs and scores.
BIBLIOGRAPHICAL REFERENCES:
- Albin, Ricardo Cravo (Criação e supervisão geral): Dicionário Houaiss ilustrado [da] música popular brasileira;
Instituto Antônio Houaiss, Instituto Cultural Cravo Albin; Editora Paracatu; Rio de Janeiro, (2006);
- Aguiar, Ernani: Catálogo de obras; Academia Brasileira de Música; Rio de Janeiro (2005);
- Cacciatore, Olga G.: Dicionário Biográfico de Música Erudita Brasileira; Editora Forense Universitária, Rio de Janeiro (2005);
- Catálogo Geral: Banco de Partituras de Música Brasileira; Academia Brasileira de Música, Rio de Janeiro (2005);
- Cavalcanti, Nestor de Hollanda: Às voltas com o canto coral; in "Ensaios: Olhares sobre a Música Coral Brasileira", Centro de Estudos de Música Coral, Rio de Janeiro (2006);
- Cavalcanti, Nestor de Hollanda: Guerra-Peixe, "seu maestro"; in "Guerra-Peixe: Um músico Brasileiro", Lumiar Editora, Rio de Janeiro (2007);
- Compositores Brasileiros: Nestor de Hollanda Cavalcanti - Catálogo de Obras; Itamaraty e Sociedade Brasileira de Música Contemporânea (1976);
- Dicionário de Música; Zahar, Rio de Janeiro (1984);
- Dictionary of International Biography; I.B. Center, England (1976);
- Ellmerich, Luis: História da Música, 5ª edição, Fermata do Brasil (1986);
- Enciclopédia da Música Brasileira; Art Editora: Publifolha, São Paulo (1998);
- Ficher, Miguel; Furman Schleifer, Martha and Furman, John M.: Latin American Classical Composers: A Biographical Dictionary.
Second edition. The Scarecrow Press, Maryland, EUA (2002);
- Fontoura, Juju: Vocal Brasileirão – uma história; Cântaro – Arte-Educação & Cultura; Curitiba (2008);
- Grove's Dictionary of Music and Musician (Brazilian edition) (1994);
- Hannu Annala and Heiki Matlik: Handbook of Guitar and Lute Composers (MEL BAY PRESENTS - eBook: 98524EB);
- Mariz, Vasco: História da Música no Brasil; 5ª edição ampliada e atualizada; Editora Nova Fronteira, Rio de Janeiro (2000);
- Mariz, Vasco: História da Música Brasileira; Civilização Brasileira, Rio de Janeiro (1984);
- Mattos, Larissa Natália Ferreira de; Duos para Viola e Violoncelo (Catálogo de Obras dos sécs. XX e XXI e a
construção da sonoridade do duo na interpretação); Paco Editorial, Jundiaí (2018);
- Men of Achievement; I.B. Center, Inglaterra (1979);
- Mello, Zuza Homem de: A Era dos Festivais; Editora 34, São Paulo (2003);
- Moura, Paulo Celso: Música informal brasileira - Estudo analítico e catálogo de obras; Editora UNESP, São Paulo (2011);
- Música Brasileira para Orquestra - Cadastro Geral - Organizado por João Guilherme Ripper; FUNARTE/INM/Projeto Orquestras, Rio de Janeiro (1988);
- Perpétuo, Irineu Franco; História Concisa da Música Clássica Brasileira; Alameda, São Paulo (2018);
- Teixeira, Moacyr Garcia Neto: Música Contemporânea Brasileira para Violão; Moacyr Teixeira Neto/Vitória: Gráfica e Editora A1, Vitória, ES (1995?);
- Ray, Sonia: Catálogo de Obras Brasileiras Eruditas para Contrabaixo; ANNABLUME-FAPESP, São Paulo (1996)
- Regenmorter, Paula J. Van (University of Maryland, College Park. Music): Brazilian Music for Saxophone:
A Survey of Solo and Small Chamber Works; ProQuest, 2009 [ISBN 1109199317, 9781109199314]
- Who's Who in Music in the World; vol 10, International Biographical Center, England (1978);
Performers