Brazilian Piano Prodigy to Play in Oregon
Noted on May 29, 2008 by Natanya in
IE3 Global Internships has offered internship to university students at Students Helping Street Kids International (SHSKI) for over 10 years. For more information, see the position description
Priscilla Almeida Dantas: invited by University of Oregon piano professor Dr. Dossin to perform recitals in several Oregon cities; lives in poverty in Brazil, receives an academic scholarship partially funded by several Eugene/Springfield schools, and plans on being an exchange student at Churchill High School and a U of O piano major.
Fifteen-year-old Priscilla Dantas is an amazing young girl who, in spite of the poverty in which she lives in Recife, Brazil, has achieved notable levels of success as a pianist. Her father is a guard at a local music conservatory, and he arranged for his daughter to take free music lessons. She took her first piano lesson at age 9, was the subject of a Brazilian national television news report at the age of 11 and performed as the guest pianist with the Recife Symphonic Orchestra at the age of 14. See video of national television report of her June 2007 performance on YouTube
Three and a half years ago, Priscilla received an academic scholarship from Students Helping Street Kids International (SHSKI). Among those funding her scholarship are Churchill High School, Springfield High School, and Yolanda Elementary School & Centennial Elementary School of Springfield. Priscilla excels in academics and on the piano. Her goal is to be an international concert pianist.
Dr. Alexandre Dossin, Assistant Professor of Piano at the University of Oregon, upon seeing DVDs of her performances, stated, that, in his nine years as a piano professor in the U.S., he has never seen a pianist of her age play as well as she does. Upon learning that Priscilla was planning on being an exchange student at Churchill High School in the 2010-11 school year, followed by applying to the University of Oregon School of Music and Dance, he invited her to perform a series of recitals in Oregon – Eugene, Albany, Corvallis and Roseburg.
Dr. Dossin further shared his opinion that Priscilla, indeed, has a “chance” of achieving her lofty goal of becoming an international concert pianist.
Every two years, there is a statewide piano competition held in Recife. During the last competition in 2007, when she was 14 years old, she was required to compete in the 17-20-year-old age group, due to her skill level. She won, as she has done every year that she has competed. In addition to performing Mozart with the Recife Symphonic Orchestra (she played without the music in front of her), she has performed numerous times in prestigious settings in Recife, and has even played on the beach in Rio de Janeiro on a very popular television program called Calderão do Hulck, which is seen by millions across Brazil.
The public will have several opportunities to see and hear Priscilla perform. There is no charge to attend one of her recitals, but donations are requested. Donations will be used to fund her future education in Eugene. Make checks payable to SHSKI, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit. Donations are fully tax deductible, and if you would like to have a tax receipt, provide your name and address so that SHSKI can mail you one.
Priscilla’s Recital Schedule
July 8 Metropolitan Rotary Club, Downtown Athletic Club, 999 Willamette St., Eugene. 6PM. Rotary members and guests only July 12 First Congregational United Church of Christ, 4515 SW Hills Road, Corvallis. 7:30PM July 13 Westminster Presbyterian Church, 777 Coburg Road, Eugene. 3PM July 19 Reustle Vineyard, 960 Cal Henry Road, Roseburg. Wine club members only. 6PM July 20 First United Methodist Church, 1376 Olive Street., Eugene. 4PM July 27 St. Mary’s Catholic Church, 728 SW Ellsworth, Albany. 4PM
Students Helping Street Kids International (SHSKI) was founded by former Springfield School District counselor Bob Crites to provide an international community service project for American students, in which American students raise funds to provide academic scholarships for impoverished children in Brazil, thereby giving the recipients an opportunity to climb out of poverty. In this students-helping-students scholarship program both groups of students are greatly benefited. While the Brazilian scholarship recipients’ lives are profoundly changed, the American students also gain as their view of the world is broadened and they learn to experience the rewards of helping someone less fortunate than themselves.