"Sempre Chiquinha" in Porto Alegre & Caxias do Sul

Pianist Olinda Allessandrini, Conductor Mandredo Schmiedt and Sandra Mohr

Last Sunday, September 1st, I attended the UCS Symphony Orchestra concert with pianist Olinda Allessandrini. The concert, commemorating the 50th anniversary of CIEE-RS, took place at the institution's theater, here in Porto Alegre.

A tasteful program that featured Alan Hovhaness's Overture for trombone & strings Op. 76, with soloist Paulo Ferreira; Three Botticelli Pictures by Ottorino Respigui; Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart's Piano Concerto No. 21, with soloist Olinda Alessandrini; and it was completed with a piano and orchestra suite that I wrote about pieces by Chiquinha Gonzaga, called Sempre Chiquinha. A pleasure to meet friends and honor to hear my arrangement performed by the prestigious pianist accompanied by musicians of such high level under the direction of conductor Manfredo Schmiedt!

This Thursday the concert will be performed again, this time at the orchestra house, the University of Caxias do Sul, in southern Brazil .