Upper School Jazz Teacher Francisco Pais Cardoso releases global composition, featuring Wheeler alumnae/i and faculty

September 30, 2020

Award-winning Portuguese composer and Wheeler School Upper School Jazz teacher Francisco Pais Cardoso releases a new multicultural composition, featuring Wheeler alumnae/i, faculty, and an unprecedented global cast of musicians. 

From The Tears-Das Minhas Lágrimas premieres October 3rd on YouTube at 7 pm EST https://www.youtube.com/user/franciscopaisjazz

Composed, performed, and produced over 6 months during quarantine, Pais collaborated with 20 artists from Newport, RI, to Portugal, the Canary Islands, Brazil, Canada, and Germany, including Wheeler School musicians such as alumna poet and lyricist Lilian Kong ’14, cellist and Upper School Science teacher Christine Perkins, and alumnus pianist Julian Shore ’05. 

group of musicians
“I loved the idea of a split-screen concept (to the video) that many people have created during these times, but I wanted something else to go with it,” says Pais. “A narrative, a flow — depth in nature and nuance.”

Each artist recorded elements of the composition, with wind and string instruments hailing from Canada and the US, percussion from the Canary Islands and NYC, and vocals from Sao Paulo, Brazil. Pais’s vision to create a composition that represents multiple generations with diverse artists offers an uplifting experience for musicians and listeners alike. 

“The dream,” he says, “is to come together (one day) in person and do it live for people.”

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