By Jonathan Shifflett
Speaking with our festival attendees reminds us of the passion that people all over the world feel for the cello and the lengths they will go to support that passion. In this fourth installment of Cello Stories, we talk with an attendee who recently returned to playing the cello after giving it up to pursue a career in business. Since coming back to the instrument, he has founded an arts organization and performed extensively, even at the risk of his own life.
Hi Paulo! Can you tell us a little about your background and where you’re from?
I come from a family of amateur musicians and had the good fortune to be born in a small town in the interior of Brazil where there is the wonderful music school of Ernst Mahle. This small school was for many years a national reference in classical music education. Although many of my friends have become professional musicians, my aspirations were always limited to pursuing classical music as an amateur musician, and ultimately, I decided to become an engineer. Even during my college years, I always stayed very involved with music, which led me to meet my wife-to-be, a flute student at the university’s music department. After I graduated, I set my cello aside to devote myself to building a career in the franchising industry. That was 20 years ago. Now, my businesses has become less dependent on my presence and I have found time to resume my passion for the cello. I’ve founded Udiarte, an association for the development of arts in our city and have also had regular cello classes and participated in a very dynamic cello octet, the Udi Cello Ensemble!
What first got you interested in the cello?
I am the third child of a very large family. My eldest brother is a pianist. When I was 7, I thought of studying the violin, but an older brother chose it before me and I was persuaded to study the cello. It was good though, because then we had a piano trio at home. At first, I wasn’t very happy to play such a large and difficult instrument to carry. Of course, it didn’t take me long to fall in love with it!
Is there anything else that you’re looking forward on your trip to Los Angeles?
When I was in high school, I lived for a year in California as a Rotary exchange student. I’m very excited because I plan to reconnect with the friends I made during that time.
What Festival events, in your opinion, are the best?
Recitals are always a great opportunity to hear these outstanding cellists from very close, but the masterclasses are unique experiences because you can learn so much from the musicians. I’m really looking forward to them!
Is there a memorable story involving the cello you can tell us?
In 2012, during the Rio International Cello Encounter I was presenting at the community center in a favela – a Brazilian slum. We came to play for hundreds of children. While our cello ensemble played, someone came to tell us to quickly stop the concert. They said there were heavily armed traffickers entering the favela and we had to leave fast. Two men died that day while we were playing classical music.
Find out more about Paulo’s cello octet, UDI Cello Ensemble, here: https://www.facebook.com/udicello