“An artist without limits” (Chico Neto, Jornal A Gazeta, Vitoria 1991)

Eliane Salek is a complete musician who transcends the boundaries between the “classic” and “popular”, comfortably flowing between the two with complete fluency. Her versatility is based on exceptional talent and a solid musical education. Born in Rio de Janeiro, Eliane spent her childhood in Tijuca where she passionately frequented the band lessons at the Conservatorio Brasileiro de Musica, playing percussion instruments.

At six years of age she began to study piano with Dona Marina Sa-Freire who, early on, recognized her strong talent and encouraged Eliane, which created the foundation of her musical education.

For years she studied at the Conservatorio (1961-1972) and afterwards entered the Escola de Musica at the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro (UFRJ), where she completed the piano program (technical-professional) with top grades – studying with the professor Irany Leme (1973).

The pianist
Eliane then went on to the graduate program in piano at UFRJ until the third year when she decided to transfer into the course for flute. While she was mastering the works of Bach, Beethoven, Chopin and others, she began her first attempts at composition and participated in groups playing Brazilian popular music (MPB). It was her great professor Evandro Rosa who showed her how to view the piano as an orchestra, that each region should be heard as an instrument, with varying levels of dynamics – standards of quality that Eliane brings as much to the classic as to the popular.

“Promising pianist-flautist-composer-arranger and, on one track, singer. Her style is a musical experiment that worked out well”. (Jose Domingos Raffaelli – Jornal do Brasil 1985)

The Keyboardist
Parallel with her classical concerts, Eliane developed a brilliant career, playing and recording with some of the great names of Brazilian popular music: Sivuca, Toquinho, Elba Ramalho, Zeca Pagodinho, Ademilde Fonseca, Elizeth Cardoso, among others. She also played in orchestras such as Tabajara, Rio Jazz Orchestra and the Rede Globo Orchestra (Studio level).

The Flautist
She encountered the flute and dedicated herself to it with passion . After six months of study, pregnant with her only son Fabiano, she had already played flute in the theatrical production, “The Flight of the Feroucious Birds”, by Aldomar Conrado, under the musical direction of her ex-husband Marcos Leite and Eduardo Dusek (1974). She completed her bachelors degree in flute in 1993 at the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro (UFRJ). She also attended several advanced masterclasses with professors such as Celso Woldtsenlogel and Norton Morozovikz. She was the first flautist for the Symphonic Orchestras of the University Gama Filho, UFRJ National Radio MEC and of Espirito Santo.

Chamber Musician
Eliane has given recitals in various cities in Brazil, receiving awards in competitions by FUNARTE (1978). She has developed an extensive repetoire and performs extensively throughout Concert Halls in Brazil. There are always musicians of the highest level at her side, such as Sonia Maria Vieira, Alceu Reis, Ricardo Amado and Cristina Braga, among others.

Soloist
Was a soloist with the Orquestra Sinfonica Infanto-Juvenil, under the direction of Carlos Eduardo Prates in various cities such as: Parati, Tres Rio, Juiz de Fora, Friburgo and Belo Horizonte, among others; with the Orquestra Sinfonica da Escola de Musica da UFRJ (Leopoldo Miguez Hall -1992) and with the Sinfonica do Espirito Santo. She entered the recording industry as the flautist of Helcio Milito´s group with the CD “Quilombo”, released in the USA in 1985.

The Singer
“One of the greatest artists I´ve known in my life, really the Brazilian Ella Fitzgerald”... (Francois Loup – master of voice from the University of Maryland, Internationally known baritone, TMRJ/2000)

Sings and plays in the best venues and hotels in Rio de Janeiro, releasing the CD Baioro in 1985, independently produced in which she was the arranger, musical director aside from playing flute, keyboards and singing.

Does tributes to Ary Barroso, Noel Rosa and Sarah Vaughan

A perfectionist, Eliane looks to further develop vocal technique, incorporating popular repetoire, jazz, negro-spirituals and opera.

In 1998 she was accepted into the Teatro Municipal of Rio de Janeiro via a public audition, entering in 1999 as a mezzo-soprano. Participating in the production of operas, operetas, concertos and as a soloist of the liric concerts of the Teatro Municipal, singing arias and parts of Gershwin´s Porgy and Bess and in recitals of French Songs.

The Arranger
Did all of the arrangements for the CD Baioro, with a language that mixed elements of jazz and brazilian roots, giving personality and originality to the work, which made it unusual. Utilizing different musical formation, big bands with winds and horns, counting on the participation of musicians such as Romero Lubambo, Paulo Russo, Raul Mascarenhas and Nilton Rodrigues, among others.

Did the arrangements for soap operas that Rede Globo exports to Europe and the United States (Louco Amor, Vale Tudo, Top Model and A Sucessora)

Did thirteen of the forteen arrangements for the CD Mistura Brasileira, diving into the music of “choro” and puting her mark on the work, she recreated classics such as Carinhoso, Pedacinhos do Ceu and Aquarela do Brasil, avoiding typical interpretation of regional “chorinho” and creating a genre far more universal , reflecting her musical concept. The CD featured special guests such as Nelson Sargento, Delcio Carvalho, Celia Vaz and Josimar Monteiro, among others.

A sucess with both critics and the public, it was considered one of the three best releases of the year by Musicnet Magazine (Jose Domingos Raffaelli). “One of the women that adds to the greatness of jazz, next to Toshiko Akiyoshi, Tania Maria and Mary Lou Williams (Jose Domingos Raffaelli – O Globo)

The Composer
Composing since 1980, Eliane recorded four of her compositions on the CD Baioro, mixing the elements of her background, classical, jazz and MPB, establishing a work of exceptional personality and originality. Among them, the waltz “Dia de Festa” was selected to open the International Festival of Women Composers (UFRJ – 1993). In despite of authoring countless compositions, Eliane recorded only one other, “Vo Chiquinha” on the CD Mistura Brasileira, a beautiful homage to the great pianist;composer Chiquinha Gonzaga, along with the lyricist Roberto Nascimento.

The Producer
Aside from the two independent CDs, Eliane has produced events and projects. In 1993 she received a research grant (UFRJ) with which she created the project “O Pop do Classico” a series of didactic concerts looking to bring works of classical composers that utilized popular themes and of the popular, whose work was outstanding. She acted as researcher, coordinator, artistic director and performed alongside pianist Sonia Maria Vieira and guitarist Marco Pereira, among others.

From August to December 2001 created and coordinated the project of didactic concerts “Roots, Trunks, Leaves and Fruits of Brazilian Music of African Origin”, known as “Roots” at the Centro Cultural Jose Bonifacio, RJ. She prepared all of the research, wrote the script, coordinated the production team and sang, played and spoke about the work of the great aspects of Brazilian music, with guests such as: Maria Teresa Madeira and Sonia Maria Vieira (piano); Pedro Amorim and Nilze Carvalho (bandolim); Juarez Araujo (saxophone); Fabiano Salek and Agenor (percussion) and quinteto ARTMETAL, among others.

Teacher
Professor of Pedagody in Musical Education since 1972, under the great Ester Scliar. Was professor at the Academia Antonio Adolfo, Escola de Musica Villa-Lobos, collaborator and pianist of the masterclass of American flautist Paula Hatcher (UFRJ-1990)

Her masters dissertation was on the aspects of improvisation within the musical genre called choro, establishing an unpublished work on the subject and of the great importance of the didactics and performance.

Press

“One of the finest jazz singers and pianists anywhere”
(Paula Hatcher – flautist and music critic of the Emerson Flute Forum)

“The force and perseverance of the talent of the Brazilian musician, one of the world´s best”
(Ricardo Gravo Albim)

“She sings the best of the best”
(Columnist Helio Dorea – A Gazeta do Espirito Santo)

“More known as a flautist Eliane is also a great singer”
(Journalist Pedro Tinoco – Revista Veja)

About the CD Mistura Brasileira
“We see competence and love mixed in this CD ... and what a repetoire!” (Jornal Extra do Rio de Janeiro)

“Those who like traditional MPB are going to love this CD ... ultimately a great choice ...”
(Jornal Tribuna da Imprensa)