Brazilian Violinist Gustavo Menezes Died of a Heart Attack, Aged 48

The passing of Gustavo Menezes has come as a shock to his colleagues and loved ones

Gustavo Menezes was a member of the Orquestra Petrobras Sinfônica and the Orquestra Sinfônica do Theatro Municipal (OSTM).

Menezes came from a prominent musical family in Brazil: his father was horn player João Jerônimo, his brother is cellist Antônio Menezes, and his three other siblings all play in the OSTM. Alongside performing, Menezes also taught young students in the Petrobras Symphony Youth Academy project.

Many of Menezes' colleagues have offered heartfelt tributes which praise his character and skill.

"There are people who have come into this world so far above human smallness that they don't even appear on our radars. They fly so high that you can't even see them," said conductor Carlos Prazeres. "That was my beloved friend Gustavo Menezes. His music, his sweetness, his artist's soul, his passion for Bach's work were the best gifts of my youth."

“I was astonished by the news," said conductor Isaac Karabtchevsky. "It's hard to believe that Gustavo left suddenly. The memories of our musical contacts at OPES and conversations about literature and philosophy are vivid, a rare combination of interests in a young artist. Gustavo will be missed. Smart, sensitive and loyal, he had a musicality that radiated from his violin. Without it, we are much poorer.”

Our condolences to Mr. Menezes' family, friends, students, and colleagues at this time.