Paulo Steinberg, piano

A Musical Journey to Brazil with Dr. Paulo Steinberg & Colleagues

Join pianist and JMU Professor Dr. Paulo Steinberg for an unforgettable evening celebrating the vibrant sounds of Brazil. This richly textured concert features collaborations with flautist Dr. Beth Chandler Cahill, violist Dr. Diane Phoenix-Neal, clarinetist Dr. Šarūnas Jankauskas, and tenor Gustavo Ballesteros. Together, they will bring to life the works of renowned Brazilian composers including Heitor Villa-Lobos, Edmundo Villani-Côrtes, Ronaldo Miranda, Radamés Gnattali, and M. Camargo Guarnieri.

From lush melodies to rhythmic flair, this performance offers a captivating glimpse into the heart and soul of Brazilian classical music.

Gustavo Ballesteros is a doctoral assistant at James Madison University, being mentored by Dr. Steinberg. He holds a B.M. in Piano and a M.M. in Composition from the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro, where he worked from 2010 to 2023 as a collaborative pianist. Under the supervision of Dr. Lenine Santos, Gustavo also developed his skills as a lyric tenor.

His discography consists of the album Prelúdio à Brasileira (2016), and the EP Cinco Poemas de Fernando Pessoa (2022). His piano solo composition Tocata has been awarded at the Rádio MEC Music Festival 2017 in Rio de Janeiro, and at the Independent Music Awards 2018 in New York City.