The two pianists are a strong combination, playing very well together—often indistinguishable.
American Record Guide
A highly-regarded piano duo. . . .
Brasiliana, Scholarly Journal of the Brazilian Academy of Music
For some time now I’ve been a fan of your performances and I enjoy the
wide range of composers you embrace in your repertoire. Your wide range of repertoire is astounding and the fact that you are working with so many
different composers is truly impressive.
The selections you chose were
excellent and all so appropriate. I especially enjoyed your oral performance
notes at your recital on Saturday.
I would like to open a dialogue regarding
the possibility of Duo Gastesi-Bezerra returning for a second year.
Dr. D Gause, Director, CCSN International New Music Festival, Las Vegas, NV
Eight composers with Alabama ties received solid, fair-minded hearings of their works Thursday from two staunch advocates of new music. Duo Gastesi-Bezerra, a Florida-based piano duo that specializes in recently composed music, was the guest ensemble for a Birmingham Art Music Alliance concert at Brock Recital Hall that revealed a wide range of style and originality.
Michael Huebner, The Birmingham News
I received the CDs of the beautiful concert that you gave at the University of Florida. Thanks so much. The performance of The Epistemology of Delicate Time was wonderful: nice pacing, shaping, etc. (and understanding!). I really appreciate your interest in the work.
Dr. Dennis Kam, composer, chairperson of Composition Department, University of Miami (FL)
The concert program of 20th century piano duos was a special occasion to enjoy your talent and your excellent performance. We really enjoyed the program, particularly the works of the Brazilian composers . . . played with great perfection by both of you.
I would also take this opportunity to inform you officially that the Brazilian Ministry of External Relations has approved our proposed Annual Cultural Program for 2008, which includes a presentation of the Duo Gastesi-Bezerra in Belgrade.
So we will be happy to have you back to Belgrade and to work with you again in the near future, so as to show to those who enjoy good music in Serbia the art of your fine piano duo.
Dante Coelho de Lima, Brazilian Ambassador to Serbia
The magic that this wife and husband team perform on the keyboard is difficult
to explain, but easy to enjoy. The music operates on several levels at the same time, engaging both the intellect and the emotions. . . .
Alan Milner, Around Wellington Magazine
Their virtuosic skills and musical shadings won over the audience the first season and they were brought back by popular demand the second year.
They have such a wide range of repertoire. . . . They were successful with the piano works from several periods and offer a special knowledge of contemporary works of standard and most current offerings.
As they are in constant demand internationally, we were very fortunate to secure their services and look forward to another engagement in the near future. They have contributed greatly to the success of our concerts and always lived up to what has become a sterling reputation as one of the finest piano-duo teams in the professional music world today.
Marilyn Mims, World Renowned Metropolitan Opera Soprano and Director of Candlelight Concert Series, North Palm Beach (FL)
I want to thank you and congratulate you for last night’s concert in our auditorium in Washington, D.C. The audience appreciated indeed your unusual program of works for piano four-hands by United States and Brazilian contemporary composers, and the splendid way in which you carried it out. I hope we can work together again in the future.
Dr. José M. Neistein, Executive Director, Brazilian-American Cultural Institute, Washington, D.C.
Gastesi and Bezerra have shown an extraordinary musicality and total professionalism. They are prepared — in a level of excellence — to develop their artistic activities in any center of culture of the world. I have the most absolute confidence on their brilliant future.
Marlos Nobre, Internationally Renowned Composer, Past President of IMC-UNESCO
The evening program concert was professionally done in every way. The varied program, consisting of new and traditional duet and duo repertoire was performed with high musicality and artistic flair. Clearly, both pianists are gifted musicians.
Dr. Kevin Orr, Assistant Professor of Piano, University of Florida
I am deeply touched and grateful for the artistry you brought to my music. Many duo pianists are noted for their virtuosity and beautiful interpretations and some have performed my music all over the world. You brought something in addition to that — a sensitive understanding of the innermost essence of my music — as though you had composed it yourself.
Terry Winter Owens, Yamaha Artist, Internationally Published Composer, New York City
Thanks for your excellent concert at Gloria Dei. It was a good and varied
repertoire, your playing was precise, and you were well received.
Carl Parks, Music Director at Gloria Dei Lutheran Church, Holmes Beach (FL)
What a joy to see you both! Your concert was fabulous — so well balanced — with charming commentary — musicality top-notch — phrasing, nuances, technique, amazing! You balance and complement each other so beautifully: Marcio solid and intense on secondo and Estibaliz “dancing” gracefully and subtly, the music coming “from the inside out” — wonderful visually as well as aurally!
Marlyce Pendersen, Music Director at First Presbyterian Church of Jupiter-Tequesta, Tequesta (FL)
You are both doing a wonderful service to new repertoire!
Lola Perrin, composer-in-residence at Markson Pianos, London
It was a pleasure to have a few moments with you following your exceptional concert with your wife at The Norton... As you played, I was jolted back into my screenplay, The Typewriter, the composition by Marlene Woodward-Cooper. It was so beautifully suited for some of the scenes in the movie. You and your wife had me captivated, and I was so sorry the concert had to end.
T.D. Carlson, writer
In their first CD,... [they] display a clear sonority and a great deal of technical proficiency.
Germán Gan Quesada, Espacio Sonoro , Spain
As Artists in Residence, the superlative performances, master classes, lectures, and coaching you presented were invaluable in furthering the educational goals we hope to provide our students.
For me, this was one of the supreme highlights of
my eight years as director of the music festival. In fact, the continuation of our festival was in question next year — that was until your arrival: the overwhelming success of your visit has convinced the administration and faculty to continue to support the event.
Dr. Justin Rubin, Director, New Music Festival, University of Minnesota Duluth
The Duo Gastesi-Bezerra is to be congratulated for devoting an entire evening
to fresh American composition for two pianos. These are fine musicians with
a dedication to new work, and that’s how our musical culture advances.
Greg Stepanich, The Palm Beach Post
To offer a complete concert including several brand new works and pieces
by our guest composer for the PBA New Music ’06 was extraordinary. The
concert was brilliantly programmed and executed, and was a fine
representation of current music for piano duo.
Dr. Tim Thompson, Director of Palm Beach Atlantic University New Music ‘06
Thank you for offering our Museum visitors such a wonderful musical experience. The concert program of 19th and 20th century piano duos was such an elegant and informative complement to the exhibition, Collecting the Impressionists: Masterpieces from the Sterling and Francine Clark Art Institute.
As you know, we hope that the individual programs that are part of our concert series Live! at the Norton. . . will relate to current exhibitions and the Museum collection. You program is an excellent example of how this relationship among the arts can be evoked.
The excellence of your performance was clear from the visitor’s comments we received afterwards: your concert earned the highest marks, and 100% of those surveyed said they would recommend the program, to others.
We are privileged to have musicians like you in our area, and, in concert with our audience, we hope that we may be able to work with you again in the future.
Glenn Tomlinson, William Randolph Hearst Curator of Education, Norton Museum of Art, West Palm Beach
Bravissimo on your performance!
Dr. Thomas Wegren, Professor of Music University of Minnesota Duluth
