Paulo Costa Lima

Paulo Costa Lima (born 1954 in Salvador, Bahia) is a senior Brazilian composer and music theorist, which has won more than 20 national and international Prizes and Commissions along his career. A member of the Brazilian Academy of Music, Lima's main interest is the interaction between composition and culture, including its political aspects, namely composition as a way of resisting colonization and against the "waste of experience," the traditional circuit in which ideas (theory) are produced elsewhere and absorbed by the peripherical South of the Globe, as if the experience of populations in the periphery would be incapable of producing theory grounded musical practices. Lima's publications are on topics such as the theory and pedagogy of musical composition (the notion of compositionality, for instance), analysis and history of Brazilian contemporary music analysis of Brazilian popular songs, the possible dialogue between music and psychoanalysis, and cultural semantics. Lima's compositional interests include the rhythmic tradition of the Candomblé. From 2020 on, Lima has been posting short video analysis of Brazilian popular songs (usually showing aspects completely surprising to the general public) generating great interest in the social media, leading to a public of more than 200.000 people

Early life and education

Born in Salvador, Bahia, Brazil in 1954, Lima studied composition with Lindembergue Cardoso and Ernst Widmer in Brazil, and Ben Johnston and Herbert Brün at the University of Illinois in the United States. He has two doctoral degrees (UFBA and USP). For one, he wrote his thesis on the pedagogy of music composition; for the other, he analyzed Ernst Widmer's octatonic strategies. His first doctorate led to the Copene Prize in 1999 and the publication of a book and an abbreviated version of the second was published in the Latin American Music Review in 2001.

Career

Lima became a professor at the Universidade Federal da Bahia in 1979 and has held several positions there, including Director of the Music School (1988–1992) and Assistant Provost (1996–2002). His composition students have included Paulo Rios Filho, Alex Pochat, Guilherme Bertissolo, Tulio Augusto, Vinicius Amaro, Paulo Cesar Santana, Pedro Amorim Filho, and Danniel Ferraz, among others. Lima is part of the second generation of the movement initiated by the Group of Composers of Bahia, which rejects implicit compliance to existing standards. The movement's brief manifesto - "In principle, we are against all and every principle" - besides its anarchic orientation also implies that all suggestions are valid and acceptable and stresses the importance of inclusivity

Lima's compositions have been performed by the Orchestra of the Federal University of Bahia several times (1987, Ritorna Vivaldi, 2016, Cavalo Marinho, 2018, Alá, Reitoria da UFBA), by The Bahia Ensemble (1993, Atotô do L'homme Armé), The American Conposers Orchestra (1996, L'homme Armé, Carnegie Hall), Juilliard New Music Ensemble (2001, Atotô do L'homme Armé, Lincoln Center), Los Angeles Philarmonic Orchestra (2003, Atotô do L'homme Armé, Benaroya Hall), by the Bahia State Orchestra (1986 Halley Ouverture, 2005 Eine Kleine Atotô Muisk, 2017 Tempuê, 2021 Alá and Atotô do L'homme Armé, 2022, Zaratempo dedicated to the 40th anniversary of the Orchestra, Teatro Castro Alves) UFRJ Orchestra (2013, Bahia Concerto op. 98), São Paulo State Symphony Orchestra (2000. Serenata Kabila, 2015 and 2019, Cabinda: We are black op. 104 and 2021, Oji: Chegança e ìmpeto, all of them commissioned), Neojibá Orchestra (2015, Seven arrows op. 102, Teatro Municipal Rio de Janeiro), São Paulo Chamber Soloists (2021, Concertino for Clarinet, New York, Americas Society at Park Avenue), Utah Symphony Orchestra (2022, Oji, Abravanel Hall), Campinas Symphonic Orchestra (2016 and 2024, several works), Porto Alegre Symphonic Orchestra (2023, Alá), USP Symphonic Orchestra (Alá, 2023), USP Chamber Orchestra (Atotô, ECAM, 2024), GRUPU (2017, Chega de Caboclo, Unidersidade de Campinas and European Tour) and the Essen Festival für Neue Musik (Cauíza for 10 percussionists, 2017).

His works have been performed more than 600 times in more than 25 countries in locations such as Konzerthaus Berlin, Carnegie Hall, Lincoln Center, Benaroya Hall, De Rode Pomp, Sala Cecília Meireles, Sala São Paulo, and Teatro Castro Alves. He was included in the New Grove Dictionary of Music and Musicians in 2001 in an article written by Gerard Béhague and, in 2016, the State University of Campinas held a festival in his honor.

More recently,in 2011, Lima has proposed the notion of compositionality – the attributes of that which is composed – involving at least five dimensions: the "invention of worlds;" "commitment to critique", in other words, if a world is invented it interprets everything from its standpoint, composition id interpretation after all; "reciprocity" or playing with identities (when I writes something, something is written in him/her); the continuous interaction between theory and practice; and the "field of choices" (it is impossible to compose without making choices) Ilza Nogueira observed in his 1993 composition Atotô do L'homme armé (op. 39) "a procedure of fusion of the appropriated elements (the melodic line and the rhythmic pattern), which compromises their identities and displaces them from their original signifying contexts".

Lima was president of the Fundação Gregório de Mattos, the cultural office of Salvador, between 2005 and 2008. During his time in office, he created programs such as the Mestres Populares da Cultura (transl. Popular Masters of Culture), which recognized elderly citizens with a wide knowledge of ethnic-popular traditions Other civic activities include Lima's organization of 456 capoeira performers, walking and dancing on the streets of Salvador to celebrate the anniversary of the city in 2005. Lima also organized the Cultural part of the Sociedade Brasileira para o Progresso da Ciência meeting in Salvador in 2001, dedicated to promote the relationship between arts and sciences. In the last four years Lima has dedicated himself to an intense work of cultural diffusion through the social media, publishing videos with analytical interpretations of Brazilian most well known popular songs, leading to the formation of an audience of more than 200.000 followers in Instagram, TikTok and Facebook. In 2023 and 2024 he was invited to be the key note Speaker for the annual meetings of the Associação Nacional de Pesquisa em Pós-Graduação e Música - ANPPOM

Personal life

Lima married violinist Ana Margarida de Almeida Cerqueira Lima in 1976; they have two sons, Cláudio and Maurício.

Awards and honors

Lima has received awards from the Goethe Institut, Salvador 1985 (Ritorna Vivaldi for strings), Bienal de Música Brasileira Contemporânea Rio de Janeiro 1985 (String Quartet II), Max Feffer Prize (Ibejis, 1992), Vitae Foundation (1995), American Composers Orchestra (1996), Secretary of Culture in Bahia (2009), and Fundação Nacional de Artes (2013, 2015, 2017, 2019, 2021 and 2023) In 1995 the piece Xiré was commissioned by the Secretary of Culture of the São Paulo State. In 2014 the piece Cabinda: nós somos pretos was commissioned by the State Orchestra of São Paulo, and the piece Oji: Chegança e Ímpeto in 2020. In 2017 the piece Cauiza for Percussion was commissioned by the Music Council of the City of Stuttgart - Germany. In 2022 the piece ZARATEMPO was commissioned by the Bahia State Orchestra for the occasion of its 40th anniversary. In 2024 the piece Serenata Concertante for Percussion was commissioned by the Orquestra Municipal de Campinas and the piece Soprei o mundo was commissioned by the Simpósio Ibero-Americano de Clarinete Bajo. He is a member of the Academia de Letras de Bahia and a founder-member of the Academia de Ciências da Bahia, which was created in 2011. The National Council for Scientific and Technological Development has considered him a recognized researcher since 2003. In 2015, he won first place at the Bienal de Música Brasileira Contemporânea, through the indication of 85 Brazilian composers and conductors.

Works

Books

• Seminários de Carnaval I. Salvador: EDUFBA, 1988. v. '. 209 p. (Org.)
• Seminários de Carnaval II. Salvador: EDUFBA, 1998. v. 1. 248 p. (Org.)
• O Ensino de Composição Musical na Bahia (1999)
• Ernst Widmer e o ensino de composição musical na Bahia. Salvador: Copene-Fazcultura, 1999, 358 p.[21]
• Quem Faz Salvador? Salvador: UFBA; Pró-Reitoria de Extensão, 2002. v. 1. 348 p. (Org.)
• Invenção e Memória. Salvador: Edufba, 2005, 312 p. available at [22]
• Musica Popular e Adjacências. Salvador: Edufba, 2010, available at [23]
• Música Popular e outras Adjacências. Salvador: Edufba, 2012, [24]
• Teoria e Prática do Compor I. Salvador: Edufba, 2012, available at: [25]
• Teoria e Prática do Compor II. Salvador: Edufba, 2014, available at [26]
• Teoria e Prática do Compor III: Lugar de fala e memória. Salvador, Edufba, 2016
• Teoria e Prática do Compor IV: Horizontes metodológicos. Edufba, 2016.
• Teoria e Prática do Compor V: Ensaios sobre composição e annálise. Edufba, 2021

Albums

• Outros Ritmos. Salvador, Prêmio Copene, 1996
• José Eduardo Martins 60 (Imikaiá e Ponteio-Estudo), 1998
• Impressionem (Kreuzberg Records), Matias de Oliveira Pinto (Corrente de Xangô), 1997
• Uma festa brasileira (Ed. Paulus 1998), José Ananias e Edelton Gloeden (Apanhe o Jegue e Lembrando e Esquecendo Pixinguinha)
• XI Festival de Música Instrumental da Bahia (Ibejis for flute and clarinet), 2003
• Bossa nova series (live) Antonio Eduardo Santos (Eis Aqui), 2003

Articles

• "Group of Composers of Bahia" [27]
• "Invenção e Memória: Celebração da Diversidade". Salvador-FUNCEB, Revista da Bahia, v.32, p. 25 - 37, 2004.
• "Pesquisa em Educação Musical: a natureza da problematização (premissas)". Salvador, Revista da Faced, Universidade Federal da Bahia., p. 149 - 162, 2004.
• "Composition and Cultural Identity in Bahia", (SONUS-Boston). Sonus A Journal of Investigations Into Global Musical Possibilities., v.21, p. 61 - ISSN, 2001.
• Surface and Structure in the Music of Ernst Widmer: Octatonic Compositional Strategies (Abs). Music Theory Online., 2001.
• "Composition in Bahia, Brazil: Ernst Widmer and his Octatonic Strategies" (LAMR). Latin American Music Review, v.22, p. 157 - 182, 2001.
• "Brazilian Musical Libido". Journal for The Psychoanalisys of Culture and Society JCPS, v.1, p. 140 - 142, 1996.
• "Bananas ao vento".Salvador-FUNCEB, Revista da Bahia., p. 40 - 45, 1998.
• "Música e Psicanálise: Uma Possível Interface". Cadernos de Análise Musical, p. 58 - 73, 1996.
• "Música, um Paraíso Familiar e Inacessível". São Paulo, Instituto Saede Sapientiae, Percurso. Revista de Psicanálise., v.Ano 8, p. 55 - 64, 1995.
• "Análise de Transformações Temáticas na op.11/n.1 de Arnold Schönberg". São Paulo, Revista Música., v.4, p. 157 - 173, 1993.

Some Performances

• (2017) Campinas - SP, Serenata-Ponteio for string orchestra (2007), Oficina de Cordas with Lars Hoefs, 15.09.2017 (premiere)
• (2017) Campinas - SP, Chega de Caboclo for percussion group (2017), ANPPOM 2017 Congress, 01.09.2017
• (2017) Rio de Janeiro, Look at the sky for clarinet solo (2016), Igor Carvalho, Espaço Guiomar Novaes, ABM-Brasilianas 2017, 29.08.2017
• (2017) Salvador, Apanhe o Jegue for flute and guitar (1995), Lucas Robatto e Vladimir Bomfim, Museu de Arte da Bahia, 12.08.2017
• (2017) Toulouse - França, Corrente de Xangô for cello solo (1992), 'Eglise de Blaucau', with Lars Hoefs, 11.08.2017
• (2017) Turnê Sonora Brasil (20 cidades brasileiras), Bembé (2017), for brass quintet, August–December 2017 (estreia)
• (2017) Berlin, Kulturelle Landpartie, Cavalo Marinho (2016), por Matias de Oliveira Pinto, 26.05.2017 e 27.05.2017 (estreia)
• (2017) Campinas, Chega de Caboclo (2017) for percussion group, GRUPU com Fernando Hashimoto (Regente), I Congresso Brasileiro de Percussão, UNICAMP, 09.05.2017 (estreia)
• (2017) Krakow Cello Spring Festival, Corrente de Xangô (1992), with Lars Hoefs, Aula Florianka, Cracóvia (Polônia), 24.02.2017
• (2017) 3rd annual Villa-Lobos International Chamber Music Festival, Manteiga for sax and piano (2016), Michael Couper(sax) e Alexandra Albert(piano), Univ. of California - Riverside (USA), 02.02.2017 (estreia)
• (2017) 3rd annual Villa-Lobos International Chamber Music Festival, Corrente de Xangô for cello solo (1995), Lars Hoefs, Mimoda Studio, Pico Boulevard, Los Angeles (USA), 11.01.2017
• (2017) Lançamento do CD Festival Música Nova, includes Divertimento Mineral for sextet(2007), Regente: Jack Fortner e Camerata, SESC-Santos, Santos (SP), 20.01.2017
• (2016) 50º Festival Música Nova Gilberto Mendes, Look at the sky for clarinet and piano (2016), Igor Picchi Toledo (clarineta) e Rodrigo Antonio Silva (piano), Ribeirão Preto (SP), 11.11.2016
• (2016) III FMCB - Festival de Música Contemporânea Brasileira, dedicated to the life and work of composers Paulo Costa Lima and Ronaldo Miranda, UNICAMP-Campinas (SP), 16–19 March 2016
• (2016) Teatro Castro Mendes - Campinas (SP) - 'Abertura Ayó' e 'Cabinda: we are black', Orquestra de Campinas with Ricardo Bologna
• (2016) Sala da Tulha - USP Ribeirão Preto (SP) - 'Look at the sky' for clarinet and piano and 'ABoio II' for flute solo - Festival Música Nova
• (2015) Sala São Paulo - São Paulo, Cabinda: we are black op. 104, OSESP with Marin Alsop.
• (2015) Teatro Municipal do Rio de Janeiro - Sete flechas op. 102, Orquestra Neojibá with Eduardo Torres and Aleyson Scopel (piano)
• (2014) Goethe Institut - Salvador, Zaziê Quartettsatz, with Mivos Quartet
• (2013) Sala Leopoldo Miguez - Rio de Janeiro, 'Bahia Concerto op. 98', Orquestra de Cordas-UFRJ com Cláudio Cruz, Aleyson Scopel (piano)
• (2010) Ziriguidum for percussion, USA-Tourné (20 universities of the East Coast), Grupo PIAP com John Boudler
• (2009) Musée Cantini - Festival International des Musiques D'Aujourd'hui, Aboio op. 65 with Andrea Ernest (flute)
• (2008) Teatro Castro Alves - Salvador (Brasil), estréia da Serenata Ayó for Orchestra, with OSBA and Erick Vasconcellos
• (2007) Leitheimer Schlosskonzerte, Donaueschingen (Germany), Corrente de Xangô for cello solo, with Matias de Oliveira Pinto
• (2006) Reitoria da UFBA-Salvador, Caipiroska, Duo Diorama (violin and piano)
• (2005) Konzerthaus - Berlim, Modern Art Sextet
• (2005) Teatro Castro Alves, Orquestra Sinfônica da Bahia, Eine Kleine Atotô Musik
• (2003) Université D'Évry, France, Amphi Audiovisuel, Zelia Chueke (piano)
• (2003) Festival Antasten, Hollbrich, Deutschland, Ponteio n.2, Silvia Belfiore (piano);
• (2002) Princeton University Chapel, Princeton University, Duo Chorinho, Laura Ronai e Tom Moore (flutes)
• (2002) Viva Musica, Benaroya Hall, Atotô de l'homme armé op. 39, Seattle Symphonic Orchestra, Alastair Willis (Conductor);
• (2001) Lincoln Center, Alice Tully Hall, Atotô de l’homme armé op. 39, New Juilliard Ensemble, Joel Sachs (conductor);
• (2001) New York Public Library, Donnel Auditorium, Vés, Zelia Chueke (piano)
• (2000) Sala São Paulo (2000), Orquestra Sinfônica do Estado de São Paulo, Serenata Kabila, John Neschling (conductor)
• (2000) School of Music, University of Washington, Pega essa nêga e chêra for flute and piano, Lucas Robatto (flute)
• (2000) Palazzo Santacroce, Instituto Ítalo-Americano, Vés, Margherita Traversa (piano)
• (1998) Brazilian-American Institute, Washington D.C., Oriki de Erinlê, Adélia Issa e Edelton Gloeden (soprano and piano);
• (1998) Universidade de Sapposo-Japan, Corrente de Xangô, Matias de Oliveira Pinto (cellist)
• (1998) University of Hiroshima-Japan, Corrente de Xangô, Matias de Oliveira Pinto (cellist)
• (1997) Victoria Summer Music Festival, Canadá, Ibejis for flute and clarinet, Lucas Robatto e Pedro Robatto
• (1997) Sala Rode Pompe, Gent-Belgium, Vassourinhas for piano solo, José Eduardo Martins (piano)
• (1996) Carnegie Hall, American Composers Orchestra, Atotô do l'homme armé (Paul Lustig Dunkel, conductor)
• (1991) Summergarden Festival, New York City, Pega essa nêga e chêra! for piano; (Cf. Alex Ross, New York Times);

Compositions

• Soprei o Mundo for Bass Clarinet and Strings (2024)
• Serenata Concertante for Percussion and Orchestra (2024)
• Yemanjá for cello solo (2024)
• Caxixi for Cello duo (2024)
• A maré encheu for oboe and piano (2022)
• Zabelê for flute and piano (2022)
• Nde re he America: Cantos e Lutas (2021, Commissioned by the Contest 'La Flauta Latinoamericana')
• Maianguelê for flute quartet (2021)
• Ninu Afefe (in partnership with Iuri Passos) for Rum/Pi/Lê/Gan, 2 trumpets and Orquestra (2021)
• Ojí: Chegança e Ímpeto for Orchestra (2019, Commissioned by Orquestra Sinfônica de São Paulo)
• Serenta Gonguê for oboe and piano (2018)
• Calcinha New Stuck for 3 sopranos and percussion group (2018)
• Aboio 3 for flute solo (2018)
• Chega de Caboclo for percussion group (2017, Commissioned by GRUPU-UNICAMP)
• Tindolelê for piano (2016)
• Manteiga for tenor sax and piano (2016)
• Kekitem for brass quintet (2016)
• Tempuê for Orchestra (2016)
• Cavalo Marinho for cello solo (2016)
• Trans-Iakisôbá for flute, clarinet and piano (2016)
• Look at the sky for clarinet and piano (2016)
• Look at the sky for clarinet solo (2016)
• Rapadura e Côco for cello solo (2016)
• Aboio e Pós-Aboio for cello solo (2016)
• Trans-Iakisôbá (Ibejis n. 3) for flute and clarinet (2015)
• Cabinda:we are black for Orchestra (2015)
• Zaziê Quartettsatz for String Quartet (2014)
• Sete Flechas: um batuque concertante (2014–2015) for piano and Orchestra
• Manteiga for sax solo (2013)
• The real thing for would-be clarinet and piano (2013)
• A Bahia tá viva? for soprano and chamber group (2012)
• Bahia Concerto 2012 for piano and string Orchestra (2012)
• Yêlêlá Song for voice, clarinet and piano (2012)
• Januário para duo de percussão (2012)
• Aboio II for flute solo (2012)
• Ibejis n. 2 for flute and clarinet (2011)
• Calcinha Stück for 3 sopranos and percussion group (2010)
• Paisagem Baiana para 5 clarinets (2010)
• Só... for quintet de fl, cl, tp, vn, vc (2009)
• Yêlelá Twendê para 2 sop, bx elétrico, pc e Orquestra (2009)
• Divertimento Mineral para sexteto (fl, cl, tp, vn, vc, pn) (2007)
• Fantasia for strings (2007)
• Ziriguidum for percussion group (2007)
• Partita for violoncelo solo (2006)
• Concertino for clarinet and strings (2006)
• Serenata Ayó for Orchestra (2005)
• Brincando com a louça for sextet (fl, cl, vn, vla, vc, pn) (2004)
• Eis Aqui! for piano solo (2003)
• Arroubos para flauta solo, duo, trio e quarteto (2003)
• Aboio I for flute solo (2003)
• Ponteio n. 2 for piano solo (2002)
• Ciclo de Orikis op. 60: Xangô, Exu e Oxossi (sop, fl, pn, pc) (2001)
• 3 Ponteios em miniatura for flute and piano (2000)
• Oriki de Erinlê para soprano and guitar (texto recolhido por Verger) (1997)
• Lembrando e esquecendo Pixinguinha for flute and guitar (1997)
• Vassourinhas um frevo-estudo for piano solo (1996)
• Kabila para wind quartet (1996)
• Oriki para trumpet and piano (1995)
• Apanhe o Jegue for flute and guitar (1995)
• Ibeji for flute and clarinet (1995)
• Atotô do L’homme armé for chamber orchestra (1993)
• Kyrie de Nanã para choir (1993)
• Saruê de dois for two clarinets (1993)
• Ponteio for piano solo (1992)
• Corrente de Xangô for violoncelo solo (1992)
• Imikaiá for piano solo (1992)
• Pega essa nêga e chêra for piano solo (1991)
• Pega essa nêga e chêra for flute and piano (1991)
• Vés for piano solo (1990)
• Atotô balzare, Si, Si, como no! for 5 pc e piano (1985)
• Cuncti-Serenata for piano solo (1984)
• Ubabá, o que diria Bach! for chamber orchestra (1983)

References

• Academia Brasileira de Música, [28]
• Academia de Letras da Bahia, [29]
• Academia de Ciências da Bahia, [30]
• Béhague, Gerard. Recent Studies of Brazilian Music: Review-Essay Latin American Music Review. Volume 23, Number 2, Fall/Winter 2002, pp. 235–251 [31]
• III FMCB [32]
• FGM - Mestres Populares da Cultura, [33]
• Grove Dictionary of Music and Musicians (2001)
• Marin Alsop conducts premiere of Cabinda: we are black [34]
• Mariz, Vasco. História da Música no Brasil. Rio de Janeiro, Nova Fronteira, 2000, p. 472.
• Mestres Populares da Cultura, [35]
• Paulo Costa Lima apresenta 'Sete Flechas' [36]
• Paulo Rios Filho [37]
• São Paulo Symphony Orchestra, Premieres 2015 (estreias 2015), free download of Cabinda op. 104 [38]
• Sonus: A Journal of Investigations into Global Musical Possibilities, vol. 21, n.2, Spring 2001.

External links

• [39]
• [40]
• [41]
• [42]