João Dias Carrasqueira: um mestre da flauta

Abstract

The aim of this work is to register and document the most important aspects of the life and work of João Dias Carrasqueira as a pioneer of the flute teaching in Brazil. It is based in a series of interviews given by João Dias Carrasqueira to the author of this work during the year of 1993, where he reports to his life as musician and a master of the flute. Interviews with other people connected to him have also been performed. Firstly, a brief biography of João Dias Carrasqueira is presented, refering to his nickname as Canarinho da Lapa, his first flute lessons and his professional activites as flutist in the cinema orchestras, during the years of 1920, and in the radios of São Paulo during the years of 1930. Emphasys is given to the ideas of João Dias Carrasqueira applied to the flute teaching and the connection to the ideas of other masters of pedagogy such as P.Freire, K.Swanwick, V.Gainza, and musicists like V. Lobos. The practice of chamber music and the formation of groups of students to play together were important features of his teaching process. João Dias Carrasqueira was one of the first flute teachers to introduce the Brazilian music repertoire into flute teaching. At last but not least we decribe his work developed with the children teaching, which involved the creation of drawings with the musical notes, of histories, and the image of little songs composed by him to the students. On the technical point of view, the sonority was of most importance for João Dias Carrasqueira. He stimulated the practice of exercises in order to improve the quality of the sound, always taking into account the individual characteristics of each student. Finally, we explore the meaning the expression Flautosofia created by João Dias Carrasqueira to manifest his attitude facing life and music.