Biography
Brazilian composer based in Europe, whose work concentrates on timbric and spatial
aspects. He was initially a self-taught composer in Cataguases, where he grew up,
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and at the age of 15 gave a piano recital of his own compositions. In his teenage
years he studied composition informally with Almeida Prado and Marlos Nobre.
Later Nassif received his Bachelor's degree in Composition at the Federal University
of Minas Gerais (2003-7), studied at the Federal University of Bahia on an
exchange program in 2006, and received his Master's degree from the State
University of Music and Performing Arts of Stuttgart (2009-12, class of Caspar
Johannes Walter; seminars on Sonology with Oliver Schneller and Marco Stroppa);
at the same University he concluded in 2014 with honor the Konzertexamen in
Composition, last musical degree in Germany. He also carried out studies in the
Alexander Technique (and the musical phenomenon, etc.) with Ilan Sebastian Grabe,
a former pupil of Celibidache. Master-classes at international festivals include
among others Alvin Lucier, Christian Wolff, Kaija Saariajo, Beat Furrer, George
Aperghis and Georg Friedrich Haas.
Nassif's music has been played and recorded worldwide; in 2013 his portrait CD
musica d'incanto was published in Brazil. He has also received various awards for his
works, among them first prizes in events such as the Irino Prize 2011 (Tokyo) and the
BMI Student Composer Awards 2009 (NY), as well as commissions (among others
from the Philharmonic Orchestra of Minas Gerais, CordaNova guitar quartet,
ensemble cross.art, SWR-Vokalensemble). In Germany he has received in 2013 the
Karl-Sczuka-Förderpreis on the SWR-Donaueschinger Musiktage; in 2014 a
composer's fellowship from the BW-Kunststiftung and from the Akademie der KünsteBerlin. In 2015 he has obtained the Kunstpreis Berlin in the AdK and for the second
time the Irino Prize (for musica d'incanto).
Nassif is active in the multiple capacities of composer, interpreter/performer (piano,
ad-hoc) and curator/organizer of concerts. In partnership with several musicians, he
has organized and participated in an extensive number of concerts in the cities
where he has resided, such as the contemporary music series eu gostaria de ouvir
(Belo Horizonte, 2008-12). His varied parallel interests (Experimental Art,
Philosophy, Meditation, Pranayama and others) reverberate in his recent works.
Biography text from Last.fm, available under CC BY-SA.