Cacilda Borges Barbosa

Biography

Cacilda Campos Borges Barbosa (18 May 1914 – 6 August 2010) was a Brazilian pianist, conductor and composer. She was one of the pioneers of electronic music in Brazil.

Life

Barbosa was born in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. In 1928, she joined the National Institute of Music in Rio de Janeiro, where she studied with Francisco Braga, Paulino Chaves, harmony with Oscar Lorenzo Fernandez and theory with Lima Coutinho. After completing her education, Barbosa worked as a pianist playing waltzes and chorinhos to dance groups and compose pieces for them. In the 1950s she published the first volume of the series "Estudos Brasileiros para Canto" and became conductor of the Radio Mayrink Veiga orchestra.
Barbosa worked with Heitor Villa-Lobos from 1930, and served as director of the Instituto Villa-Lobos. She became a professor for chamber ensemble of the National School of Music at the University of Brazil and professor of counterpoint and fugue at the Popular School of Music Education. She also directed a number of orchestras and choir ensembles.