Cristiano Rizzotto Vidal
Pessôa, born in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, holds a Bachelor’s Degree in
Piano Performance from the Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro
(UFRJ), where he graduated in 2010, Magna cum Laude. There, he studied
piano with Dr. Miriam Grosman and performed as a concert pianist in
several solo recitals and as a piano accompanist in several cities and
states of Brazil since 2007. He was awarded second place at the XVIII
ArtLivre National Piano Competition.
Years before the first
lessons with Dr. Alexandre Rachid, in order to do something about the
complete absence of music during the service in the church to which he
attended, and having always been passionate and interested in playing
what he considers to be the authentic liturgical instrument, Cristiano
decided to volunteer as an organist at St. Joseph’s Catholic Church in
Lagoa since 2007. On December 2008, he became organist at Our Lady of
Glory Catholic Church in Largo do Machado. He was later an exchange
student in the USA (East Carolina University), in the Fall semester of
2009, sponsored by the Brazilian government’s Ministry of Education.
Once back in Rio to
graduate, he was nominated the organist of the city’s Benedictine Abbey,
owner of the oldest organ in South America and where the tradition of
the chants and liturgy has been kept fresh and alive by the Carioca
monks since the 16th century. Cristiano developed his technique and
understanding of the instrument and its use in church enormously in his
time in the USA and in the Monastery, and he wished to continue this
fruitful learning and developing work in this country, under the
instruction of Mr. Andrew Scanlon, Instructor in Organ at East Carolina
University.
He returned to the USA
last August for the Master’s Degree in Sacred Music/Organ, and he has
also started serving the First United Methodist Church in Washington,
NC, since then. The 11 AM Service is broadcast live each Sunday on 98.9
FM, WNBR.
Cristiano was awarded
the Richard VanSciver Church Music Scholarship on a competition promoted
by the Metropolitan Music Ministries in Charlotte, NC, this past March.
He was also awarded the Ona and E. Franck Ruble Scholarship from the
United Methodist Church, in May.
Cristiano achieved the
Service Playing Certificate from the American Guild of Organists this
past June, becoming a Certified Guild Member. A Celebration for
Certified Guild Members was held by the AGO National Committee on
Professional Certification (Kathleen Thomerson, director) on the AGO
National Convention in Nashville, Tennessee, on July 4, 2012.
His functions as a
Graduate Assistant at ECU nominated him the piano & organ
accompanist of the St. Cecilia Singers choir, accompanist for the Vocal
Department, and a Recording Tech for the Fletcher Music Center, which
includes recording and editing concerts on CD and DVD, and live
broadcasting them online. In 2012, he became a member of the ECU Chamber
Singers, which toured the state of North Carolina on Spring 2012.
Cristiano auditioned and was admitted to the following institutions, for the Fall 2013 term:
University of Michigan – Doctor of Musical Arts in Liturgical, Church, and Synagogue Music;
University of Oklahoma – Doctor of Musical Arts in Organ Performance;
University of Iowa – Doctor of Musical Arts in Organ Performance;
University of Arizona – Doctor of Musical Arts in Organ Performance;
Boston University – Doctor of Musical Arts in Historical Performance;
Longy School of Music of Bard College in Boston – Graduate Performance Diploma.
University of Oklahoma – Doctor of Musical Arts in Organ Performance;
University of Iowa – Doctor of Musical Arts in Organ Performance;
University of Arizona – Doctor of Musical Arts in Organ Performance;
Boston University – Doctor of Musical Arts in Historical Performance;
Longy School of Music of Bard College in Boston – Graduate Performance Diploma.
Cristiano’s current
goals are to continue to develop his skills as a church and concert
musician in the United States; to use the knowledge obtained to
cooperate with the resurrection and development of the organ culture in
Brazil; to represent and bring awareness to Brazil through his work
abroad; to establish a stronger dialogue between the organ sceneries and
professional organists of Brazil and the United States of America; and
contribute to the American musical and liturgical scenery.
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