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Bernadete Zagonel
Bernadete Zagonel leaning on a white wall, in black and white

Music educator · Writer

Bernadete Zagonel

“I saw and understood that the world is much bigger than I had imagined.”

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I. Prelude

A whole life teaching how to listen.

Bernadete Zagonel is a Brazilian music educator, writer and composer. She holds a PhD in Music from the Sorbonne (Paris IV), a master's degree in Education from the Federal University of Paraná (UFPR) and a teaching degree in Music from EMBAP. As a full professor at UFPR she created the undergraduate programs in Sound Production and Music Education, and she has written music education books used by teachers and schools across Brazil.

works on this site
13
writings in the archive
56
chronicles from Paris
31
countries: Brazil, France, USA
3
Bernadete Zagonel smiling, in a beige blazer
Bernadete Zagonel in a light blue coat

II. Exposition — Curitiba

Where music became a calling.

With a teaching degree in Music from the Paraná School of Music and Fine Arts (EMBAP) and a master's in Education from the Federal University of Paraná (UFPR), Bernadete built in Curitiba the foundation of everything that came next.

In January 1983 she studied with Hans-Joachim Koellreutter at the 1st Curitiba Music Workshop. A book came out of that encounter: the master's writings on contemporary aesthetics and composition, which she edited with Salete M. La Chiamulera.

III. Paris

In Paris, everything happens.

In France she earned a DEA in 20th-century Music at the École des Hautes Études / IRCAM and a DEA in Musicology at the Sorbonne. In 1994 she received her PhD in Music from the Université de Paris IV – Sorbonne, with the thesis La formation musicale des enfants et la musique contemporaine — children's musical education and contemporary music.

There she came close to the work of Pierre Schaeffer and Pierre Boulez — and, from afar, wrote for the Gazeta do Povo the chronicles of a Brazilian trying to understand the French.

“I saw and understood that the world is much bigger than I had imagined.”

Bernadete Zagonel, on her years in Paris
Bernadete Zagonel seated next to Pierre Schaeffer, in Paris
With Pierre Schaeffer, the creator of musique concrète.

Interview with Pierre Schaeffer

Recorded by Bernadete in Paris · in French

Read the Paris chronicles
Bernadete Zagonel speaking at the Universidade Livre do Comércio
Bernadete Zagonel at Uninter, in 2013
Uninter, 2013

IV. The educator

Teaching those who teach.

  1. UFPR

    Full professor. She created and implemented the undergraduate programs in Music — Sound Production and Music Education (2001), headed the Arts Department and coordinated the Art Education program.

  2. EMBAP

    Full professor at the Paraná School of Music and Fine Arts, where she had graduated.

  3. CNPq · UFBA

    CNPq researcher and visiting professor at the Federal University of Bahia, where she took part in the music program's curriculum reform.

  4. Uninter · Ibpex

    Professor and coordinator of the distance-learning graduate program in Arts Teaching Methodology; professor at Ibpex.

  5. TV and press

    She produced and hosted the TV show "Música no Ar" on CWBTV, and wrote a music education column and chronicles for the Gazeta do Povo.

  6. Composer

    Composer of electroacoustic music.

V. Timeline

Bar by bar.

Scroll to cross four decades.

1983

Master's degree in Education at UFPR. In January, a student of H.-J. Koellreutter at the 1st Curitiba Music Workshop.

1985

Edits, with Salete M. La Chiamulera, Koellreutter's writings on contemporary aesthetics and composition. First pieces for the Gazeta do Povo newspaper.

1988

From Paris, she writes chronicles for the Gazeta do Povo — French daily life seen through Brazilian eyes.

1992

Publishes "O que é gesto musical" (What is musical gesture) in the Primeiros Passos series (Brasiliense).

1994

PhD in Music from the Université de Paris IV – Sorbonne, with a thesis on children's musical education and contemporary music.

1998

CNPq researcher and visiting professor at the Federal University of Bahia. Publishes "O gesto musical" with ABEM.

2001

The undergraduate programs in Sound Production and Music Education she created open at UFPR. She organizes the Ressonâncias Festival.

2002

Head of the Arts Department at UFPR.

2004

Vice-president and cultural director of the Paraná Commercial Association.

2007

Joins Uninter for distance learning: professor and coordinator of the graduate program in Arts Teaching Methodology.

2011

Publishes "Brincando com música na sala de aula" — later chosen by Brazil's Ministry of Education for public school libraries —, "Musicalizando crianças" and "Pausa para ouvir música".

2012

Her TV show "Música no Ar" debuts on CWBTV. The Música em Ação series and the chronicle book "Em Paris tudo acontece" are released.

2016

Launches the Descobrindo a Arte – Music Series, for grades 1 to 5.

2017

Moves to Florida, in the United States.

2021

Director of the Rotary Club of Boca Raton West (2021–2022).

VI. Works

The books she wrote.

Music education books used by teachers and schools, chronicles and essays. Tap a cover to learn about each work.

VII. Archive

What she wrote for newspapers and journals.

Open the full archive

♪ Intermezzo

Listen, watch and read about her.

Interviews, television and press. The interview videos from the old site will be added once the family sends the links.

VIII. Gallery

Portraits and encounters.

Bernadete Zagonel Bernadete Zagonel Lecture at the Universidade Livre do Comércio Lecture at the Universidade Livre do Comércio With Pierre Schaeffer, in Paris With Pierre Schaeffer, in Paris 119th anniversary of the Paraná Commercial Association 119th anniversary of the Paraná Commercial Association Portrait Portrait At Uninter, 2013 — the time of her TV show Música no Ar At Uninter, 2013 — the time of her TV show Música no Ar Paraná Commercial Association event Paraná Commercial Association event 2016 2016 Welcoming a foreign delegation Welcoming a foreign delegation Portrait Portrait Exchanging banners at an event Exchanging banners at an event Black and white portrait Black and white portrait

Frequently asked questions

Who is Bernadete Zagonel?

Bernadete Zagonel is a Brazilian music educator, writer and composer of electroacoustic music. She holds a PhD in Music from the Sorbonne and was a full professor at the Federal University of Paraná (UFPR), in Curitiba.

Where did Bernadete Zagonel earn her doctorate?

At the Université de Paris IV – Sorbonne, in 1994, with a thesis on children's musical education and contemporary music. In Paris she also earned a DEA in 20th-century music at the École des Hautes Études / IRCAM.

What books has Bernadete Zagonel written?

Among others: Brincando com música na sala de aula, Musicalizando crianças, Pausa para ouvir música, Em Paris tudo acontece, the Música em Ação and Descobrindo a Arte series, and O que é gesto musical. They are music education books used by teachers and schools.

Did Bernadete Zagonel interview Pierre Schaeffer?

Yes. During her years in Paris she recorded an interview, in French, with Pierre Schaeffer, the creator of musique concrète. The audio is available on this site.

What did she create at UFPR?

She created and implemented the undergraduate programs in Music – Sound Production and Music Education, which started in March 2001, and headed the Arts Department.

How can I contact Bernadete Zagonel?

By e-mail at contato@bernadetezagonel.com.br or through her Instagram and Facebook profiles, listed at the end of this page.

IX. Coda

Write to her.

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Fine — da capo.