Odette Ernest Dias

Origin

Paris, France

Also known as

Marie Thérèse Odette Ernest Dias

Genres

classical music, choro, mpb

Instruments

flute

Biography

Odette Ernest Dias was a renowned French-born Brazilian concert flutist, researcher, and educator who left an indelible mark on the country's classical and instrumental music scene. Born in Paris, she graduated from the Conservatoire National Supérieur de Paris and achieved international acclaim before moving to Brazil in 1952 at the invitation of maestro Eleazar de Carvalho to join the Brazilian Symphony Orchestra.

Throughout her distinguished career, she performed with major orchestras and radio ensembles, and notably participated in landmark popular music recordings, such as Elizeth Cardoso's historic 1958 album featuring compositions by Tom Jobim. As an academic, she taught at institutions like the University of Brasília and contributed significantly to the preservation and study of Brazilian musical heritage. She was also a foundational figure in the creation of the Clube do Choro de Brasília, nurturing a generation of musicians that included her own children.

Her legacy encompasses numerous recordings, research publications, and frequent performances across Brazil and abroad, championing both classical masterworks and Brazilian classical and popular idioms. She collaborated with numerous artists throughout her life, performing alongside figures such as Jacob do Bandolim and Maria Lucia Godoy, and cementing her status as a vital bridge between European conservatory traditions and Brazilian musical expression.