The School of Music is presenting a double tribute to one of its late faculty members, the renowned Brazilian conductor Eleazar de Carvalho, professor emeritus of music and conductor-in-residence.
Robert Blocker, dean of the School of Music, recently announced that a fund supporting the activities of student conductors at the school is being established in honor of Professor Carvalho. In addition, the Yale Philharmonia Orchestra is dedicating its concert this week to the late maestro.
Dante Anzolini, a former student of Professor Carvalho at the School of Music, will serve as guest conductor for the concert, which will be held at 8 p.m. on Friday, Feb. 7, in Woolsey Hall, corner of College and Grove streets. Prior to the concert, at 7 p.m., there will be a pre-concert conversation with Mr. Anzolini in the Morse Recital Hall of Sprague Memorial Hall, 470 College St. Both events are free and open to the public.
The program will feature Elgar's "Nimrod" and "Cello Concerto"; "Prelude and Isolde's Love Death" from Wagner's "Tristan and Isolde"; and Brahms' "Symphony in e minor, No. 4." Lanfranco Marcelletti, a student at the School of Music who also studied with Professor Carvalho, will conduct the Wagner piece, and Pitnarry Shinn, a 1996 graduate of the school and winner of the Woolsey Hall Concerto Competition, will perform the cello piece by Elgar.
Eleazar de Carvalho, who died on Sept. 12 at the age of 84, was an internationally renowned conductor who also achieved acclaim as a leading pedagogue and inspirational leader of young musicians.
A member of the School of Music faculty since 1987, he also taught and conducted at Juilliard, Hofstra University and Tanglewood, and was a major figure in Brazilian music education. In fact, a foundation has been established in his name in Brazil for the promotion of music and artistic education in that country. A school being built in Itu, Brazil with support from the foundation will offer instruction in music, ballet and theater.
He was named conductor emeritus of the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra in 1968, after having served as its music director for five years. He conducted many leading orchestras in Europe, Latin America and the United States. Until he death, he served as music director of the Sao Paolo Symphony Orchestra, the largest and most active orchestra in Brazil.
Contributions to the Eleazaro de Carvalho Memorial Fund may be sent to: Dean's Office, Yale School of Music, P.O. Box 208246, New Haven, CT 06520-8246.