Slideshow: Joyce Moreno Meets Berklee
Joyce Moreno is a Brazilian singer-songwriter considered a pioneer for her use of the first-person, woman-centric viewpoint in Brazilian music.
Dave Green
Moreno’s performance is backed by a wind section, with parts arranged by Berklee students majoring in contemporary writing and production.
Dave Green
Brazilian percussionist Negah Santos performing for the Joyce Moreno concert
Dave Green
Berklee student Raphael Lehnen, a native Brazilian, and the main drummer for the performance. “When we were rehearsing in the weeks prior to the performance, the vibe and the tunes already felt great,” Lehnen said. “When she arrived, it was even better. She puts everything where it should be.”
Dave Green
Moreno and student vocalist Anna Maria Villa sing a duet.
Dave Green
Ensemble Department professor Fernando Brandao, Bass Department faculty member and Latin Music Studies faculty advisor Oscar Stagnaro, and Chair of Contemporary Writing and Production Matthew Nicholl, who conducted the concert, introducing the night's festivities.
Dave Green
Berklee student Gustavo del Pino Mendoza performing on piano for the Moreno concert
Dave Green
Joyce Moreno receiving certificates of appreciation for her work in spreading Brazilian culture from the Boston City Council and the Massachusetts State House
Dave Green
Brazilian singer-songwriter and guitarist Joyce Moreno delivered an enchanting Signature Series performance at the Berklee Performance Center on Thursday, December 10, along with a large ensemble of Berklee students. Cited by Antonio Carlos Jobim as “one of the best singers of all time,” Moreno (formerly known as “Joyce”) is an international artist who has recorded more than 20 solo albums over her illustrious career and has been nominated for four Latin Grammys. A prominent composer, her songs have been interpreted by many Brazilian greats, including Elis Regina, Gal Costa, Maria Bethânia, Ney Matogrosso, and Milton Nascimento.
In the week leading up to the performance, Moreno held a Berklee clinic on writing and performance in which she talked about her influences and how socio-economic and political factors affect the art and culture of Brazil. She also visited with various student ensembles prior to the performance. Directed by Fernando Brandao, the concert featured guest artists Helio Alves ’90, a pianist and alumnus, and Tutty Moreno, Joyce’s husband, who is a producer and a drummer, and Berklee faculty members Oscar Stagnaro, and Matthew Nicholl. Joyce Moreno performed a repertoire of her own compositions, which were arranged by Contemporary Writing and Production Department students and faculty members Lee Abe and Nicholl.
Watch an excerpt from the concert: