Gaia Wilmer Ensemble - Folia: the Music of Egberto Gismonti

The magical music of Brazilian composer/guitarist/pianist Egberto Gismonti has enchanted generations of listeners. His celebrated blend of folkloric, jazz, and popular music has stationed Gismonti in the pantheon of Brazilian music. Composer/arranger Gaia Wilmer fell under Gismonti's spell as a youngster and now honors him with her new large ensemble recording, Folia. // Wilmer began arranging Gismonti's music for large ensembles while finishing her master's degree at New England Conservatory, as a rehearsal big band was made available to composers each semester. With a number of arrangements in hand, Wilmer received a grant from the Centro Cultural Banco do Brasil which would provide opportunities to perform her music in the Institute's four concert venues. She anticipated four concerts but was approved for sixteen. // The grant allowed Wilmer to present music of Gismonti at a series of concerts in honor of his 70th birthday in 2018, in which he was part of the program.