Roberto Corrêa

Origin

Campina Verde, MG

Also known as

Roberto Corrêa Joaquim Maria

Years Active

1958–2016

Genres

regional music, concert music, folk music

Instruments

viola caipira, viola de cocho, acoustic guitar, vocals

Biography

Roberto Corrêa was a renowned Brazilian viola player, composer, writer, and musical researcher, born in Campina Verde, Minas Gerais, in 1957. Descended from a family of viola players, he began his musical journey as a child, learning the acoustic guitar with José da Conceição. Later, he dedicated himself exclusively to the viola, an instrument that would bring him national and international acclaim. His academic background in Physics and Music from the University of Brasília (UnB) propelled him into a pioneering career in the study and promotion of the *viola caipira* and *viola de cocho*.

Throughout his career, Roberto Corrêa released over 20 albums, introducing the richness of the inland music of Central Brazil to the world. His research work on Brazilian musical traditions resulted in the publication of several books, including the first book on the viola published in Brazil, becoming a reference for students and musicians. He also stood out as a teacher, founding the first viola class in an official school in the country and being the only doctor in the instrument in Brazil.

Corrêa collaborated with major names in Brazilian music, such as Inezita Barroso, and his compositions and interpretations took the music of the backlands to international stages in various countries. His dedication to the viola and Brazilian popular culture cemented him as a fundamental figure in the preservation and dissemination of this musical heritage, being recognized as a "stringed Guimarães Rosa" for his deep connection to the rural backwoods universe.

Discography

• Uróboro (1994)
• Crisálida (1996)
• Voz e Viola (1996)
• Caipira de Fato (1997)
• Extremosa - Rosa (2002)
• Esbrangente (2003)
• Antiqüera - Orquestra à Base de Corda Convida Roberto Corrêa (2008)
• Temperança (2009)
• Violas de Bronze (2009)
• Canções Brasileiras (2010)
• Viola de Arame (2012)
• Concerto para Vaca e Boi (2022)
• Solos de Unha e Carne (2025)
• VIOLA NOVA (2026)