Francisco Formiga

Bassoonist / Educator / Reed Maker

Born in Tauá, in the Brazilian state of Ceará, Francisco Formiga attended the Music School at the Federal University of Minas Gerais (UFMG) and the Center for Arts Education at the Clóvis Salgado Foundation, where he began his bassoon studies with Stanislaw Durek. He completed his undergraduate studies in bassoon with Benjamin Coelho at UFMG and attended masterclasses and workshops with professors such as Noel Devos (France/Brazil), Marco Costantini (Italy), Sérgio Lima Gonçalves (Brazil), Gerald Corey (USA), Afonso Venturieri (Brazil), and Helman Young (Germany).

In 2017, he received a Master’s in Music from the Federal University of Bahia (UFBA). He won the National Young Soloists Competition of EPTV (broadcaster of Globo TV in Campinas, Brazil) in 1991, in addition to the young soloists competitions of the Symphonic Orchestra of UFMG, where he also won first place in several chamber music competitions.
With more than 30 years of professional experience in orchestras, Francisco Formiga has been part of the major symphonic ensembles in Brazil such as the Minas Gerais Symphonic Orchestra (from 1986 to 1993). He was the teach- ing artist for bassoon at the Experimental Repertory Orchestra (São Paulo) and the principal bassoon of the Symphonic Band of São Paulo State (from 1993 to 1997). Since 1997, he has been a bassoonist with the São Paulo State Symphony Orchestra (OSESP).
He has taught bassoon in Belo Horizonte, Brazil, at the Music Education Center for Children at UFMG, the Center for Arts Education of the Palácio das Artes arts complex, and the Music Department of UFMG. He was part of the first seven editions of the Poços de Caldas Summer Course in Brazil (2000–2006). From 2001 to 2003, he taught at the Tom Jobim Music Education Center (ULM) in São Paulo. Between 2004 and 2010, he was a professor at the Alcântara Machado College of Arts (FAAM). In addition, he was a professor at the OSESP Music Academy from 2013 to 2015. He has also participated in many important classical music festivals in Brazil and abroad, such as the traditional International Winter Festival of Campos do Jordão and the Oficina de Música de Curitiba Festival in Brazil, and the Cartagena Music Festival and the International Bassoon Festival in Colombia. He participated in these events both as a teacher and as an artist featured in the concert programming. He is currently the bassoon professor at the Municipal Music School of São Paulo.