An active and prolific film music composer, Andersen Viana has written over 260 pieces, worked as a composer-conductor and a cultural producer, and has taught comparative music history at Palacio das Artes and Film Music at the Escola Livre de Cinema, both in Belo Horizonte — Brazil. In addition, he occasionally lectures in universities around the country and in Europe.

Born in 1962 in Belo Horizonte, this Brazilian composer, arranger, conductor and music producer comes from a family of musicians and artists. Among them was his father, Sebastião Vianna, who was very accomplished. Today, he is perhaps best remembered as the reviser of and assistant to Brazil’s most well known classical composer Heitor Villa-Lobos.

The young Viana’s first composition dates from between the ages of twelve and thirteen and was of a religious nature. His first instrument, the guitar, was soon exchanged for the piccolo and later for the flute, which he studied under guidance of his father. It seems that just being with his family served as an intense music education: at mealtimes many topics about the art were discussed and debated. These lively discussions, together with his flute studies and the advice and encouragement of his father, promoted the creation of many compositions.

Film music composer, conductor, music producer and professor. He was born in Belo Horizonte city — Brazil, and has studied in courses and seminars about music and film in several official institutions with: Ennio Morricone, Ettore Scolla, Giussepe Tornatore, E. Polizzi, Radamés Gnatalli, Max Rostal, Oilliam Lanna, S. Vianna (Accademia Chigiana di Siena, Accademia Filarmonica di Bologna, Arts Academy of Rome, Royal College of Music — Stockholm, UFMG, UFBA), among others. 261 works composed and five CDs recorded. Nineteen national and international awards received, including the 1st prize at prestigious “1er Concours de Composition Musicale pour Orchestre d’Harmonie” in Comines — Belgium and two prizes at “Lambersart — France 2006”.

He has composed, conducted and produced music for the following films:

• A Cartomante
• Retalhos do Taquaril (Claudio Costa Val)
• Bem Próximo do Mal
• Jogando para o Amanhã
• O Próximo Passo
• Gun’s Speech
• Trem Fantasma
• 3:00:AM (Sérgio Gomes)
• Corações Ardentes (Ray Evans)
• Filhos de Adão (Afonso Nunes)
• Perdidos em Abbey Road (Denis Curi)
• Vivalma (Rubens Câmara)
• Manuelzão e Bananeira (Geraldo Elísio)
• Ofélia (Fernanda Marçola)
• Opostos (Eduardo Rennó)
• Minas Portuguesa (Paulo Augusto Gomes)
• O Homem da Cabeça de Papelão (Carlos Canela)
• Condenado (Carlos Magno e Carlos Canela)
• Ser Humano (Fernando Pinheiro)

Andersen is a professor at Palácio das Artes and Escola Livre de Cinema in Belo Horizonte — Brazil, pursuing his Doctoral Degree in Music Composition at Federal University of Bahia. He has printed his first book of tales for cinema — which includes also an audio CD recorded in the Czech Republic. He has just finished recording in July, his latest album, conducting The Russian State Symphony Cinema Orchestra in Moscow with the music composed in 2007 — Cinemúsica 1 and 2 — and Suite Floral, composed in 1986. Andersen has developed works and cultural projects in the following countries: Brazil, USA, Italy, Sweden, France, Russia, Czech Republic, Honduras, United Kingdom, Portugal, Greece, Belgium and Bulgaria.

Awards

• 1984 – First Prize in the National Composition Competition of Rio de Janeiro
• 1986 – Funarte Sidney Miller Hall
• 1989 – Scholarship Award, Berklee College of Music, Boston — USA
• 1992 – Anzio Music Festival Prize
• 1993 – Italo-Latin American Institute of Rome Prize (IILA — Accademia Chigiana di Siena)
• 1996 – First Prize at the II National Composition Competition for Double Bass (UFMG/ABC — Brazilian Double Bass Association)
• 1998 – First Prize at the I Guerra-Peixe Composition Competition (FUNARJ-RJ)
• 1998 – Second Prize at the II Camargo Guarnieri Composition Prize (USP Orchestra)
• 2001 – “Best Sound Track” at the Gramado Film Festival at especial category
• – First Prize at the Funarte Composition Competition (String Quartet)
• – Second Prize at the Funarte Composition Competition (String Orchestra)
• – Second Prize at the Funarte Composition Competition (Symphonic Orchestra)
• – Public Prize at the Funarte Composition Competition
• – First Prize at “1er Concours de Composition pour Orchestre à Vent” Lys Music Orchestra Comines — Belgium
• 2004 – First Prize at Gilberto Mendes Composition Prize
• 2004 – Honorable mention at “Coups de Vents” Composition Competition
• 2006 – First Prize at “Concours de Composition pour Orchestre d’Harmonie” Lambersart – France .
• – “Prix du Public” at “Concours de Composition pour Orchestre d’Harmonie” Lambersart – France .
• – Second Prize at Composition Competition of Federal University of Bahia
• 2009 – Honorable mention at “BAM” Composition Competition — Netherlands

Along with music, Viana pursues other artistic endeavors. After participating in text, scripting, and cinema workshops with Ana Miranda, Paulo Halm and Claudio MacDowell, in 2005 he released his first fictional book: Contos Cinematográficos Volume I.

(Contribution by Regina Mello <vianabr2005@yahoo.com.br>.)

Son of Sebastian Viana (assistant of Mr. Villa-Lobos in Rio), he has played flute, viola and piano and keyboard. His professors were: Ennio Morricone, Luca Salvadori, Arthur Bosmans, Max Rostal, Paulo Bosísio, Oiliam Lanna, among others.

In 1998, he had a tragic car accident that affected seriously his right hand. Since this event, he has moved his music activities to the computer environment. The audio CD Symphony 2 was produced only with the left hand, and its composition was started four days after the accident.