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Marcílio Onofre was a Brazilian classical music composer born on August 15, 1933, in the city of Recife, Pernambuco. He was the son of a music teacher and grew up in a family that valued music and the arts. From a young age, Onofre showed a natural talent for music, and his parents encouraged him to pursue his passion. Onofre began his formal music education at the age of 10, studying piano and music theory with his mother. He later studied at the Conservatório Pernambucano de Música, where he learned composition, harmony, and counterpoint. Onofre continued his studies at the Escola Nacional de Música in Rio de Janeiro, where he studied with renowned Brazilian composer and conductor, Camargo Guarnieri. In 1957, Onofre moved to Paris to study at the École Normale de Musique de Paris, where he studied composition with Nadia Boulanger, one of the most influential music teachers of the 20th century. Boulanger was known for her rigorous teaching methods and for nurturing the talents of many great composers, including Aaron Copland, Philip Glass, and Quincy Jones. Onofre's time in Paris was a formative period in his life and career. He was exposed to a wide range of musical styles and traditions, and he began to develop his own unique voice as a composer. He also met and collaborated with other musicians and artists, including the Brazilian poet and diplomat Vinicius de Moraes, with whom he wrote several songs. Onofre returned to Brazil in 1960 and began to establish himself as a composer and music educator. He taught at several universities and conservatories, including the Universidade Federal de Pernambuco and the Conservatório Pernambucano de Música. He also founded the Orquestra de Câmara de Pernambuco, a chamber orchestra that performed his own compositions as well as works by other Brazilian and international composers. Onofre's music is characterized by its lyrical melodies, rich harmonies, and rhythmic complexity. He drew inspiration from a wide range of sources, including Brazilian folk music, European classical music, and jazz. His compositions include orchestral works, chamber music, vocal music, and music for film and television. One of Onofre's most famous works is his Concerto for Guitar and Orchestra, which was composed in 1970 and premiered by the Orquestra Sinfônica Nacional in Rio de Janeiro. The concerto is a virtuosic showcase for the guitar, with intricate fingerpicking patterns and complex harmonies. It has since become a staple of the guitar repertoire and has been performed by many of the world's leading guitarists. Another notable work by Onofre is his String Quartet No. 1, which was composed in 1965 and premiered by the Quarteto de Cordas da Guanabara in Rio de Janeiro. The quartet is a complex and challenging work, with intricate counterpoint and shifting harmonies. It has been praised for its originality and its ability to blend Brazilian and European musical traditions. Onofre's music has been performed by many of the world's leading orchestras and ensembles, including the Orchestre National de France, the London Symphony Orchestra, and the New York Philharmonic. He has received numerous awards and honors for his contributions to Brazilian music, including the Prêmio Nacional de Música and the Ordem do Mérito Cultural. Onofre continued to compose and teach until his death on December 25, 1994, in Recife, Pernambuco.

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