MUSIC DIRECTOR, COMPOSER, CONDUCTOR
Biography
Brazilian born Guilherme Almeida is an active music director, composer, conductor, and teaching artist in the Theatre, Opera, Classical Music, and Global Music worlds.
His conducting debut occurred in 2001 (Joseph Haydn’s Zwölf Deutsche Tänze and Nair Roméro de Mattos’ Brazilian Folk Songs), leading the Chamber Orchestra at Escola Batista de Música e Artes - Goiânia. He has music directed and performed many premieres including Estércio Marquez Cunha’s O Guarda Noite, and Kooman and Dimond’s Dani Girl. He has also led numerous choral performances, including Sir John Stainer’s The Crucifixion, and Alan Hovhaness’ Magnificat.
As collaborative pianist he crafted acclaimed performances with singers David Pershall, Quentin Earl Darrington, Marília Álvares, Michael and Teri Johnson, and Amarílis de Rebuá. Recital highlights include Poesia e Piano, liederabend sponsored by the General Consulate of Germany in Recife; Flemish and French Trombone Music, with Alexandre Magno; Four Hand Piano Recital, Andréia da Costa Carnalho.
Featured appearances include accompanist for: National Competition for The Symphonic Orchestra of Goiânia, National Council Auditions (Southwest Region) for The Metropolitan Opera.
Since 2011 Mr. Almeida serves as Senior Lecturer in Musical Theatre and Collaborative Pianist at Baylor University. As the Music Director for Baylor Theatre, Mr. Almeida has led numerous cabarets and stage productions including: Fiddler on the Roof, The Drowsy Chaperone, Gypsy, Thoroughly Modern Millie, Dirty Rotten Scoundrels, Legally Blonde, Into the Woods, Love’s Labour’s Lost, Matilda.
Mr. Almeida received his musical and pianistic education first at the celebrated Escola de Música e Artes Cênicas - Goiânia, under the guidance of Estércio Marquez Cunha, Martha Martins, and Maria Lúcia Roriz. He later attended the Seminário Teológico Batista do Norte do Brasil - Recife, under the guidance of Ralph Manuel and Charla Greenhaw, and lastly at the School of Music at Baylor University under the guidance of Krassimira Jordan. Mentors include Günter Bauer (Piano, Composition, Chamber Music, Organ, Continuo), Jann Cosart (Early Music Performance), Ângela Barra and Michael Johnson (Opera Production), Apolônio Ataíde and Joana Azevêdo (Conducting).
