Paulo C. Chagas

Born in Salvador, Brazil, prolific composer Paulo C. Chagas has created over 160 works in many different forms including stage, orchestra, chamber, choral, percussion, solo instruments, electroacoustic, and multimedia. His award-winning and ambitious productions have been applauded throughout the Americas, Europe, and Asia. After living and working for extended periods in Belgium and Germany, Chagas has resided in the U.S. since 2004.

As a survivor of torture in his early adulthood at the hands of the Brazillian military, it should not be surprising that Chagas’ art has been indelibly shaped by such an experience. His music has consistently been born out of experimentation and the desire to use the transcendent power of creation to heal and exemplify a resistance to the darker tendencies of societies, a threat posed by the over-commercialization of art. Chagas’ oeuvre explores heterogeneity and richness across cultures. More...