Music

Marcel Castro-Lima

Marcel Castro-Lima

Title: Adjunct Lecturer, Composition and Music Theory
Department: Music
Email: mcastrolima@uttyler.edu

Degrees

  • Doctor of Philosophy in Music with a concentration in Composition, University of North Texas
  • Masters of Music, Music Composition, Federal University of Rio De Janiero-PPGM
  • Bachelor of Music, Conducting, Federal University of Rio De Janiero-PPGM

Biography

MARCEL CASTRO LIMA is a Brazilian composer and conductor based in Texas who recently completed his Ph.D. in Music Composition at the University of North Texas. He earned his Bachelor and Masters in Rio de Janeiro, where he was also active as a guitarist and took part in its vibrant popular music scene. Originally from the Northeast, one of Brazil’s culturally richest regions, Castro-Lima was deeply influenced by its musical traditions. He was a pupil of two of the foremost composers in Brazil, Liduino Pitombeira and Arthur Kampela.

His music moves comfortably between conventional writing, rooted in Brazilian styles, and experimental practices involving improvisation, intertextuality, and instruction-based pieces. As a Conductor, Castro-Lima was an assistant to the Wind Orchestra at the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro, working as an Assistant Conductor and Librarian, having also performed with UFRJ’s Symphonic Orchestra, Choir, Brass Ensemble, and Jazz Ensemble. His orchestral pieces have been awarded in contests like the OPUS 1, promoted by Goiás Philharmonic, and the National Composition Contest, promoted by UFRJ. Currently, Castro-Lima is an Adjunct Professor teaching Music Theory and Composition at the University of Texas at Tyler.