Denise Emmer

Origin

Rio de Janeiro, RJ

Genres

MPB, instrumental music, soundtrack, sung poetry

Instruments

cello, vocals, piano

Biography

Denise Emmer Dias Gomes Gerhardt, better known as Denise Emmer, was born in Rio de Janeiro on June 18, 1958. The daughter of renowned writers Janete Clair and Dias Gomes, she forged a multifaceted path in the arts, standing out as a poet, songwriter, singer, cellist, and writer. Since childhood she showed a musical inclination, composing her first works while still a teenager and studying classical piano and cello, in addition to graduating in physics and getting a postgraduate degree in philosophy.

The artist gained great notoriety in the 1970s and 1980s by composing memorable soundtracks for Rede Globo telenovelas, such as themes for "Bandeira 2", "Bravo!", and the massive success of "Alouette" for the telenovela "Pai Herói", which sold hundreds of thousands of copies and earned her a Gold Record. Throughout her musical career, she released acclaimed albums such as Pelos Caminhos da América, Toda Cidade É um Pássaro, and Canto Lunar, collaborating with important names in Brazilian music and joining ensembles such as the Rio Camerata Orchestra.

Alongside music, Denise consolidated an award-winning literary career with dozens of published books of poetry and novels, receiving major honors such as the APCA Award, the Olavo Bilac Award from the Brazilian Academy of Letters, and the Cecília Meireles Award. Her lyrical and musical work frequently transitions between erudition and popular tradition, engaging in dialogue with the work of great poets and composers of the country, such as Milton Nascimento, Elomar, and Ivan Junqueira.

Discography

• Pelos Caminhos da América (1980)
• Toda Cidade É um Pássaro (1981)
• Canto Lunar (1982)
• Cantiga Do Verso Avesso (1992)
• Mapa das Horas (2004)
• Cinco Movimentos e um Soneto (2021)