Berklee College of Music, Boston, MA – Professor, Ensemble Department, since 1996

 

• Brazilian Music Styles – a class created by Mr. Brandão

• Brazilan Music History – an extended and updated version of the class above

• Brazilian Music Ensembles

• Jazz and Mixed Styles Ensembles

• Flute Private Instruction: Jazz, Classical and Brazilian 

• Harmony in Brazilian Song

• Practice Routines Flute Lab – a class created by Mr. Brandão

• Brazilian and Latin Flute Lab – a class created by Mr. Brandão

• Brazilian Winds Lab – an extended and updated version of the class above

• Jazz Improvisation Techniques 2

• 5-Week Program Ensembles

• City Music Program

• Paquito D'Rivera Summer Music Program – lecture class on Brazilian Music

• Day Sessions Summer Program

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Community Music Center of Boston - Since 1995

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• Flute

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Lectures and Workshops on Brazilian Music

A leading educator in Brazilian music, Fernando has given many lectures about its music styles, history and composers, and he is the author of the play-along book Brazilian and Afro-Cuban Jazz Conception, published by Advance Music. 

 

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Private Instruction 

• Flute

• Improvisation

• Brazilian music - includes coaching for all instrumentalists and vocalists 

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Goals and thoughts about teaching music, flute and improvisation:

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• Working with both classical and improvisational music has been fundamental for me to learn and develop skills on sound control, dynamics, reading, intonation, listening, playing by ear, improvisation, and a variety of music styles. In my private lessons I bring these experiences to students to help them develop their sound, technique and style.

• By helping them to understand the different elements of improvisation, the theoretical and practical fundaments of rhythm and harmony, students have been able to improve their instrumental and improvisational skills, and to develop more confidence in their ability to be independent.

• It is essential that students develop a sense of objectivity in how, and not only in what they practice.  Through various tools like listening, singing, observation, analysis, demonstrations, transcriptions, recordings, books and other media, I help them to design exercises, and to practice them intelligently. It is easy to waist time only with repetition as the main way to practice, be it technique, learning a tune or improvisation.

• When it comes to instrumental technique, I ask them to make rhythm the focus of their practice. Technique is rhythm.

• It is also important that they always approach practicing any topic with musicality, while developing a sense of pulse, movement and expression, be it sound, technique, improvisation or music literature. Without inner rhythm, a sustained sound is dead. The note needs to carry through with a beautiful sound. It doesn't need to be one kind of sound, but it does need to be expressive.

• Singing should be incorporated in their practice always with feeling, not only with the correct rhythms. If they can groove when they sing, they can certainly groove when they play.

 

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