75 years Indian Independence -

50 years Marialena Fernandes as musical bridge between Austria and India

 

Wann: 18.6.2022

Wo: Joseph Haydn Saal der mdw
Anton von Webern Platz 1
1030 Wien

Beginn: 18 Uhr

Eintritt: frei

From Bombay to the world

 

Marialena Fernandes belongs to the international music scene for decades – as a renowned concert pianist – playing solo, four hand piano duo, chamber music, orchestral concerts – leading master classes, workshops around the globe, acting as jury member at international competitions, as curator/director in crossover and experimental projects, recording CDs, TV- and radio broadcasts. Constantly engaged in social-musical projects for youth in her motherland India.

 

Born in Bombay, (now Mumbai)  into a catholic, but openminded family of Goan descent, music was her life right from early childhood – mother being her first teacher and ‘guru‘. As a true daughter of her beloved hometown she always identified with the multi-lingual, -cultural -religious influences of the city in general. Licenciate Diploma of the Royal Schools of Music and graduate at Bombay University in psychology and philosophy. In 1970 the Goethe Cultural Institute (Max Müller Bhavan) of Germany initiated an All-India-concours to commemorate the 200th birth anniversary of Ludwig van Beethoven, in which Marialena topped the list. Resulting scholarships brought her first to the metropolitan cities in India, in 1971 to Munich and finally to Vienna.

 

In 1975 she received her Diploma in Piano and Chamber Music Performance with unanimous distinctions at the Academy (now University) of Music and performing Arts, Vienna. Tours through several European countries followed, but an annual visit to India was part of the deal! In the year 1988 the research on the practice of Indian music in German speaking Europe brought her once again not only closer to her native home, but also got Fernandes the degree of Magister artium in Music Sociology. Besides her worldwide career as pianist she has always remained an inspiring teacher for several generations of students. From 1988 until 2006 she was appointed Professor for Piano and Chamber Music at the Joseph Haydn Conservatory in Eisenstadt, Austria. In 1991 she additionally became Professor at “her second home”, the house in which we are now seated; the University for Music and performing Arts Vienna.

 

Marialena has always been a highly dynamic, engaged “Vermittler” between the cultural worlds of Austria and India, a true bridge as a Viennese Indian or an Indian Viennese. Regular projects followed; e.g. in “Uno, Due, Tre” she created a much acclaimed series cycle at the prestigious Musikverein Vienna, interacting Artists with Audience. Invitations to International Universities (e.g. in MIT in the USA, Univ. of Urbana Champaign, Illinois) followed, also  to South America, Australia and Africa. It was in 2008 that Marialena received the Austrian Award for Art and Culture - MIA promoting successful Women of International background. She has never stopped learning, improving, mastering her ambitions, most of all sharing her love for music through communication between people of all ages.

 

2013 brought Fernandes the Doctorate of Philosophy (Ph.D.) from the University of Music and Performing Arts Vienna, theme being

“The Konkani Song – Roots, Development, Documentation 1510 – 1961”.

Since 2015 Marialena organizes annual tours to India with European colleagues along with her best students, feeding their minds and the hearts of Indian youth into the ‘Quest for Passion‘, a social project driven by musical exchange for deeper human understanding.

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