André Mehmari is considered one of Brazil's leading musicians of his generation. His activities as pianist, composer, producer and arranger are highly regarded in both popular and classical music. As his compositions have been performed by leading orchestras such as Orquestra Sinfônica do Estado de São Paulo and Orquestra Filarmônica de Minas Gerais and chamber ensembles such as the São Paulo String Quartet, his career in jazz and Brazilian popular music has attained wide attention with performances in all of Brazil's major jazz festivals and abroad.
Born in 1977 in Niteroi (RJ), he began to study music with his mother at the age of five and completed an organ course in the Conservatory of Ribeirao Preto (SP). At age ten, having taught himself jazz improvisation, he wrote his first compositions; and, at 15, while teaching organ in the Conservatory, he was invited to compose a method for keyboard beginners. The result was a 20-piece collection, a work greatly appreciated by young musicians and their teachers. Mehmari’s precociousness as a composer
and multi-instrumentalist was well documented by the media.
He began study at São Paulo State University in 1995 and, in the same year, won the University’s competition for original Brazilian popular music (MPB). Two years later, the same honor was awarded to him for classical music. Both his performing schedule and composing activity grew busier as he began touring and writing orchestral arrangements for major musical events. In 1998, he won the first national Prêmio VISA de MPB competition, the most important award for popular music in Brazil. The competition's prize is the recording of a new CD, which became Mehmari's first release and brought him concert opportunities throughout Brazil.
More than forty albums have followed, including Lachrimae (2004), featuring two different piano trios and singer Mônica Salmaso; Piano e Voz (2006) with singer Ná Ozzetti; De Árvores e Valsas (2008), devoted entirely to André's compositions; Miramari (2009), a collaboration with clarinet master Gabriele Mirabassi; Gismontipascoal (2010), with mandolin virtuoso Hamilton de Holanda and winner of the 2011 Prêmio da Música Brasileira; Afetuoso (2011), a return to his dynamic piano trio music; Canteiro (2011), a two-CD set with performances by thirteen of his favorite Brazilian singers; Triz (2012), with Chico Pinheiro and Sérgio Santos; André Mehmari e Mário Laginha ao vivo no Auditório Ibirapuera (2012), a concert recording with Portuguese pianist Mário Laginha; Angelus (2013), a collection of Mehmari's chamber music works for several Brazilian ensembles; Tokyo Solo (2014), a solo piano concert recording; Miramari (2014), a DVD of performances by Mehmari's duo with clarinetist Gabriele Mirabassi; Ouro sobre azul (2014), a solo piano recording devoted to interpretations of the works of composer Ernesto Nazareth, known as the inventor of modern Brazilian piano. He returned to the piano trio for As Estações na Cantareira (2015) and Na Esquina do Clube o Sol na Cabeça (2019). A duo album with cellist Antônio Meneses launched his Brazilian Suite for cello and piano, a work played worldwide since its release in 2017. The solo album Noël: Estrela da Manhã (2020) is devoted to composer Noel Rosa, and Um Outro Adeus (2021) pairs Mehmari with cellist Rafael Cesário. Música para Cordas (2019) presents Mehmari's works for strings directed by violinist Emmanuele Baldini with whom he also created Conversas com Bach (2020) inspired by Mehmari's treatment of Bach's Chaconne from the Partita in D Minor. During the pandemics he created the solo piano album, Notturno 20-21, presenting intimate readings of music ranging from French harpsichord music of Louis Couperin to Mehmari’s own compositions. In 2022, he released with Catarina Rossi an album focused on his compositions for rabeca (Brazilian Fiddle) and keyboard, an unusual encounter. While these works offers an array of musicians distinct from each other, they share Mehmari's blend of lyricism, dynamism, and elegance.
Mehmari's active performing calendar includes solo piano concerts, his trio, duos with singer Mônica Salmaso, clarinetist Gabriele Mirabassi and cellist Rafael Cesario, each blending streams of music in a unique and creative way. He recently wrote a full scale cantata for the São Paulo Municipal Theater Choir, is preparing the premieres of two operas based on Machado de Assis’ outstanding literature, and continues to be one of the most sought-after composers in Brazil.
