MATHEUS SOUZA, VIOLIN

Matheus Souza is a Brazilian violinist, instructor and conductor with an eclectic musical background. His early interest in Brazilian popular music, also known as Choro, gave him tools to go beyond the strict classical training imposed in most violinists. Mr. Souza had the privilege to collaborate with masters of the genre, such as Joel Nascimento, Jaime Vignoli, Luiz Otávio Braga, and Oscar Bolão. In addition to his training in Brazilian music, Mr. Souza participated in music festivals including the Varna International Music Festival, and the Campos do Jordão Winter Festival, where he collaborated with world-renowned artists such as Kurt Masur, Alex Klein, and Antônio Meneses.

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Mr. Souza received a Master of Music degree from the Yale School of Music, where he collaborated with illustrious figures including Krzysztof Penderecki, Peter Oundjian, Robert Mealy, and Peter Frankl. Upon graduation, Mr. Souza was the first recipient of the Malcolm L. Mitchell and Donald M. Roberts Class of 1957 award for his excellence in teaching and conducting in the Music in Schools program.

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In 2018, Mr. Souza received a Doctor of Musical Arts degree from Stony Brook University. During the last calendar year, Mr. Souza performed in over 160 different occasions, including concerts at the United Nations in New York City, touring Japan with the New York Symphonic Ensemble, soloing in Brazil with the Londrina State University Symphony Orchestra, and recording soundtracks in the United States for franchises such as Final Fantasy, Kingdom Hearts, and Mortal Kombat. In addition to his performances and recordings, Mr. Souza has given workshops and masterclasses in nine different states in the U.S., as well as in Japan and Brazil.