The University Philharmonia at Florida State University’s College of Music will present the U.S. premiere of Arthur Barbosa’s “Variations in Search of a Theme by Matos Rodríguez.” The concert, which is free and open to the public, is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. on Thursday, Feb. 12, at Opperman Music Hall.
This performance launches composer Barbosa’s residency at FSU, a project started by Guilherme Leal Rodrigues, a doctoral candidate and graduate associate conductor with the Philharmonia. Rodrigues also directs the Tallahassee Youth Orchestras.
“It is such a pleasure to welcome advanced graduate students like Guilherme who can contribute to the rich cultural life of our campus and community,” said Alexander Jiménez, professor of conducting and director of orchestras. “It is also tremendous to work at an institution like the College of Music that offers students a wide range of opportunities to refine and expand their craft in creative ways.”
The event marks the conclusion of Rodrigues’ doctoral thesis, which involved what he describes as the first detailed research and performance analysis in the United States focused on “La Cumparsita,” an iconic tango.
“Bringing ‘La Cumparsita’ to life in the United States is both an academic and personal milestone for me,” Rodrigues said. “This tango carries the musical soul of my home region, and having the opportunity to premiere it here allows me to share a piece of that heritage with a new audience.”
Molly Reid, another doctoral candidate who won FSU’s 2025 Doctoral Concerto Competition and holds a P.E.O. Scholar Award, will join as pianist for Barbosa’s work.
The program features Mozart’s Overture to “Idomeneo,” Barbosa’s new composition—described as gradually revealing fragments of “La Cumparsita”—and Howard Hanson’s Symphony No. 2 (“Romantic”), which has influenced film music including scores from Hollywood productions.
Further events highlighting Brazilian music are planned for Sunday, Feb. 22 at Ruby Diamond Concert Hall when the Tallahassee Youth Orchestra presents “Brazil in Sound: Tropical Imaginations.” This ticketed event includes three world premieres by composers Bianca Do Prado, Paloma Pitaya, and Arthur Barbosa.
More information about these concerts can be found at https://music.fsu.edu/.
