Joined at the HIP: The Afro-Brazilian Connection

Brazilian Guitarist Welson Tremura

Dr. Welson Tremura permanently joined the Center for Latin American Studies at the University of Florida in 2002 as a musician and educator who is well-versed in Brazilian Jazz, classical, and vocal music as well as traditional European classical forms.  Tremura has released two feature recordings and has participated on recordings with renowned musical artists in Brazil as well as in the United States.  He has performed extensively throughout Brazil, North America, and Europe including the International Double Reed Convention, Festival de Inverno, the Nashville Opry Theatre Christmas Concert with Barbara Mandrel, and the American Cancer Society Benefit Concert with Bernadette Peters.  For an expanded biography, click here.

Laura Mac-Knight Maule

Laura Mac-Knight Maule is currently enrolled in the Master of Music program at UF and studying the cello with Dr. Steven Thomas. She received her Bachelor’s degree in Cello Performance at the University of São Paulo (Brazil) with Dr. Robert Suetholz, and Cello Pedagogy/Performance at Indiana University with Ms. Helga Winold and Mr. Emilio Colon.

Ms. Maule is a very versatile artist and has performed and recorded with important Brazilian popular musicians such as Chico César and Zeca Baleiro. She received the 2nd prize of the National Chamber Music Competition “Cidade de Araçatuba” in 2002 and 2003, and the 1st prize of the “Nascente de Talentos” Competition – USP/Abril Publishing, 2003. She also received the Honorable mention in 2008 William T. Gower Concerto Competition – USM, and has two concertos and one sonata dedicated for her.

In 2007-08 Laura was a guest professor of Cello and Chamber Music at Universidade Federal de Uberlândia – MG, Brazil. As a soloist, performed concertos with orchestras such as Rio Claro Symphony Orchestra, The Youth Symphony Orchestra of São Paulo State, Chamber Orchestra of the University of São Paulo, and Camerata Vita – São Paulo, Brazil.