Gil Jardim

Origin

Ourinhos, SP

Years active

1970

Genres

classical music, instrumental music, mpb

Instruments

conducting, flute, accordion

Biography

Gilmar Roberto Jardim, known artistically as Gil Jardim, was born in Ourinhos, in the interior of the state of São Paulo, on January 11, 1958. He began his musical journey in childhood, studying the accordion under his father's influence, and graduated from the Santa Cecília Musical Conservatory at age sixteen. Later, he moved to the capital of São Paulo to study orchestral conducting at the School of Communications and Arts of the University of São Paulo (ECA-USP), where he also worked as a flutist and joined the group Papavento, recording under Egberto Gismonti's label.

Throughout his career, Gil Jardim established himself as a conductor, arranger, and instrumentalist, moving fluidly between classical music, instrumental music, and MPB. He has collaborated with significant names in Brazilian music, such as Arrigo Barnabé, Tetê Espíndola, Milton Nascimento, Ivan Lins, Leila Pinheiro, and Naná Vasconcelos. In the symphonic arena, he has led important groups in the country, such as the Jazz Sinfônica Orchestra and the USP Chamber Orchestra (OCAM), in addition to undertaking prominent international tours, such as the "Marsalis Brasilianos" project in the United States alongside saxophonist Branford Marsalis.

In addition to his intense artistic and academic work as a professor and head of the Music Department at ECA-USP, the conductor stands out for his research on Heitor Villa-Lobos. His professorship thesis on Bachianas Brasileiras No. 7 and the book "O Estilo Antropofágico de Heitor Villa-Lobos" earned him international recognition, including the awarding of the CD "Villa-Lobos em Paris" with the prestigious Diapason d'or in 2006.