Marco Antônio Guimarães

Origin

Belo Horizonte, MG

Years active

1978

Genres

instrumental music, mpb, contemporary classical

Instruments

cello, custom-made instruments

Biography

Marco Antônio Guimarães is a renowned Brazilian composer, arranger, instrument builder, and cellist, born in Belo Horizonte in 1948. During the 1960s, he studied at the Federal University of Bahia, where he was deeply influenced by the concepts and instrument-building philosophy of Swiss musician Walter Smetak, as well as the creative processes of Ernst Widmer and the Grupo de Compositores da Bahia. After spending fifteen years performing as a cellist in symphonic orchestras across Minas Gerais and São Paulo, Guimarães began experimenting at home with unconventional materials like PVC pipes, glass sheets, and gourds to create entirely original musical instruments.

In 1978, he invited fellow orchestral musicians to gather at the Fundação de Educação Artística in Belo Horizonte, leading to the formation of the legendary instrumental group Uakti. As the musical director and primary composer of Uakti, Guimarães developed innovative compositional pieces utilizing numerical sequences, geometric patterns, and graphic principles, notably collaborating extensively with the renowned dance troupe Grupo Corpo. His creative approach also led to celebrated arrangements of works by classical masters and Brazilian icons, including Heitor Villa-Lobos and Tom Jobim.

Throughout his illustrious career, Guimarães has contributed significantly to Brazilian popular music and cinema, crafting arrangements and performing alongside legendary artists such as Milton Nascimento, Ney Matogrosso, Zélia Duncan, and Maria Bethânia. He has also composed acclaimed film scores for major cinematic productions, including Lavoura Arcaica and Ensaio Sobre a Cegueira. His unique vision transformed everyday materials into sophisticated acoustic sculptures, cementing his legacy as one of the most original sonic architects in Brazilian instrumental music.