Biography

Altamiro Carrilho was born on December 21, 1924 in the city of Santo Antonio de Pádua, state of Rio de Janeiro. At five years of age, influenced by his mother’s family, he would play with a bamboo flute that he himself had made. At eleven, he was already a member of the Lira Árion Band, playing tarol (a kind of drums).

In 1940, he moved with his family to the City of Niterói, in the same State of Rio de Janeiro, where he would work as a pharmacist and, in the evenings, study music with his friend and promoter Joaquim Fernandes, an amateur flutist.

Altamiro never missed a show of the great flutists of the time, Dante Santoro and Benedito Lacerda. With a second-hand flute, he enrolled for the auditions promoted by the Ari Barroso Show, and ranked first. Still very young, in view of his amazing improvising talent, his very personal style and touch, he was invited to join famous groups, such as the César Moreno, Canhoto and Rogério Guimarães.

His recording debut was in 1943, when he played in a 78-rpm record with the singer Moreira da Silva for the Odeon label. In 1949, he released his first record for the Star label, “Flauteando na Chacrinha” (Playing flute at the Chacrinha). He set up his first ensemble in 1950 to play at the Guanabara Radio Station, where he remained until May 1951, when the Canhoto Ensemble invited him to replace Benedito Lacerda. In 1955 he formed the Altamiro Carrinho Band and recorded his maxixe Rio Antigo (Old Rio de Janeiro), which became a hit and sold 960,000 copies in only six months! From 1956 to 1958, the band enjoyed a lot of prestige and popularity with his show on TV Tupi, called ‘Em Tempo de Música’ (Time for Music).

He became internationally famous in the 60s, performing in several countries, among which Portugal, Spain, France, England, Germany, Egypt, Mexico, the United States and the USSR. “One of the greatest and most melodious soloists in the world,” said Boris Trisno when Altamiro toured in the USSR for three months. The success abroad was so huge that he stayed one whole year in Mexico, where he was supposed to spend only twenty days. As from the 70s, he became of the most acclaimed flutists, both as a soloist and accompaniment musician.

In November 1972, he performed Mozart’s Concerto in G at the Municipal Theater in Rio de Janeiro, which was highly praised by specialized reviewers. Invited to play Mozart’s Concerto for Flute and Orchestra in D major, KV 314, he had the idea of inserting small excerpts of great Brazilian popular composers (such as Pixinguinha and Ernesto Nazareth) into the cadences, which had a major impact on the audience and principally on the members of the orchestra, and caused him to receive a 10-minute standing ovation. In 1987, Altamiro Carrilho accompanied the singer Elizete Cardoso in her tour through Japan.

His record “Classics in Choros” received the Villa-Lobos award as best instrumental record and his “Classics in Choros No. 2” the Golden Record. He won the 1997 Sharp Award 1997 as Best instrumental CD with his “Flauta Maravilhosa” (Wonderful Flute). In 1998 Altamiro received a special decoration - the Order of Cultural Excellence - from the hands of the then President of the Republic, Fernando Henrique Cardoso, in acknowledgment of his talent and unrelenting efforts in favor of Brazilian Music. The House of Representatives granted him the title of Rio de Janeiro Citizen. In 2003, he also received the Order of Cultural Excellence award granted by the National Judges Council, for valuable services provided to the Brazilian culture.

A composer of extraordinary versatility, Altamiro composed approximately 200 songs in the most varied rhythms and styles. Altamiro was able to celebrate 60 years of career, and more than 100 recordings among records, tapes and CDs.

Currently he is touring with his Choro Ensemble through many Brazilian cities, in a cheerful and informal show in which he tells some stories of the Brazilian popular music, and plays some of his arrangements for classical pieces in Brazilian rhythms. He also performs with symphonic orchestras throughout the Brazilian territory and abroad, thus exercising his learned musician side.

A living genius and a great example of determination, of passion for his instrument and music in general, Altamiro is a gift from God, which allows him to convey joy and love to audiences.