Eleazar de Carvalho, the renowned conductor and School of Music faculty member, passed away on Sept. 12 after a long illness, at his home in Sao Paolo, Brazil. He was 84 years old.
"Maestro de Carvalho was one of the most beloved and respected pedagogues in the musical world in this century," says Paul Hawkshaw, associate dean at the School of Music. "He touched the lives of an extraordinary number of people with his teaching and performance. The musical world has suffered a great loss."
Eleazar de Carvalho was born on June 28, 1912 in Iguatu, Brazil. A student of Serge Koussevitsky, Professor Carvalho has, in turn, taught such distinguished conductors as Claudio Abbado, Seiji Ozawa, Charles Dutoit, David Zinman, Zubin Mehta, Gustav Meier and Jose Serebrier.
Professor de Carvalho joined the School of Music as professor of music and conductor in residence in 1987. He retired from full time teaching and was named professor emeritus in 1994. He also taught and conducted at Juilliard, Hofstra University and Tanglewood, and was a major figure in Brazilian music education.
In fact, the Fundacao Educacional, Cultural e Artistica Eleazar de Carvalho has been established in his name in Brazil for the promotion of music and artistic education in that country. A school, which is being built with foundation support, will have music, ballet, and theater under the same roof in Itu, Brazil.
A noted conductor of opera and contemporary music, Maestro de Carvalho was a strong champion of the music of the Second Viennese School and directed many leading orchestras in Europe, Latin America and the United States. He was named conductor emeritus of the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra in 1968, after serving as its music director for five years. He was also music director of the Sao Paolo Symphony Orchestra, the largest and most active orchestra in that country, until his death.
The School of Music will dedicate the Feb. 7 concert of the Yale Philharmonia to Professor de Carvalho's memory. The program will be conducted by two of his proteges, Dante Anzolini and Lanfranco Marcelletti.
Professor de Carvalho is survived by his wife, Sonia Muniz de Carvalho; their children Claudia and Serge; and a son from his first marriage, Eleazar.