User:Giseleafeche/Gisele Afeche

Gisele Afeche (born Gisele Castro Afeche on the14th December 1965) is a musicologist graduated from the University of Paris IV – Sorbonne, opera singer (soprano), choir conductor, songwriter, poet, pianist, harpsichordist and producer. In addition to her musical studies she holds diplomas in English, French, Holistic Therapies and she is also a Pastry Chef.

Born in Santos, SP, Brazil, in a middle class family, she is the youngest of four sisters. She started learning piano at the age of 12, aiming to become a concert pianist, with a teacher in the neighbourhood. When she was 16 she entered a Conservatory of Music (Carlos Gomes) in Santos, where she developped her piano skills. She was then admitted at the University Santa Marcelina in São Paulo to do piano degree. At this time she started singing and playing the piano in the renowed Choir at the University of São Paulo.

She has lived in Paris – France, for eight years where she graduated at the University of Paris IV-Sorbonne. She completed her studies in singing with the renowned teacher Odile Pietti, harpsichord with Jacques Frisch, choir conducting with Claire Marchand, musical analysis with Naji Hakim and musical training (theory and sight singing) in schools such as ENM of Bourg la Reine, CNR de Boulogne and Conservatoire Maurice Ravel. She taught music theory and she was a choir conductor in the ENM of Bourg-la-Reine and assistant conductor of maîtrise Notre Dame de Paris. She has sung in renowned choirs in France, such as Choeur de la Sorbonne (Jacques Grimbert), Choeur Accentus (Laurence Equilbey), Choeur de l’Orchestre de Paris, Ensemble Féminin Ars Musicae (Claude Carrot) and Choeur Saint-Louis-en-Ile (George Guillard).

Returning to Brazil she has sung in Coral Paulistano in the Municipal Theatre of São Paulo for eight years, also acting as a soloist. She performed as a singer and soloist in “Camerata Novo Horizonte”, “Brasilessentia” and “Harmonia Universalis”. She taught singing at Saint Paul’s School in São Paulo and was a soloist with Coral Baccarelli – São Paulo. She went on tour in Brazil with the group La Symphonie du Marais, dir. Hugo Reyne.

She has been living in England since 2004, where she taught piano, singing and choral singing at South Devon College and also at her own music school, ‘Bay Music School’ and conducted the ‘Bay Ladies Choir’, twice winner of local festivals. She won Paignton festival (UK) as a singer in the Soprano category. She has recently performed in recitals in France, England and Brazil, as a singer and she was a singing teacher in the festival ‘Salvalírico’ in Salvador in 2012. In 2013, she appeared as a soloist at the Opera of Manaus in the first performance of Berio’s Sinfonia with national artists.

In 2014, she published her first book of poetry ‘Amar… Simplesmente… Vida” (Love … Simply … Life …) and she released her first CD as a singer-songwriter: ‘Mosaicos’ on the 5th November 2015. Also in 2015 she received the first prize in a Brazilian Popular Music Festival (Mogi das Cruzes – SP) with the song ‘O Canto do Uirapuru” (Uirapuru’s Song) with Bruno Conde, vocals by Kleber Serrado. She also received the Medal of Cultural Merit Carlos Gomes for her life dedicated to music and the title of “Commander of Arts” (Carlos Gomes medal) granted by the Brazilian federal government.

In 2016 she became a voting member for the Latin Grammy Awards.

In 2017 she graduated in Audio Production MA (Master of Arts) at the University of Westminster – London.

In 2018 she became a Brazilian representative for RSL – Rock School – London.

References

• Gisele Afeche webpage

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