Lourdino Barreto - dubbed "the best musicologist East of Suez” http://www.goa-world.com/goa/music/lourdino.htm at a World Congress for choir conductors held in Rome - was born on February 11, 1938, in Galgibaga in South Goa. He studied at the Pontifical Institute of Sacred Music

Pontifical Institute of Sacred Music

The Pontifical Institute of Sacred Music or Pontificio Instituto de Música Sagrada is an institution of higher education of the Roman Catholic Church specifically dedicated to the study of sacred music. It is based in Rome, Italy.-History:...

 and the National Conservatory

Accademia Nazionale di Santa Cecilia

The Accademia Nazionale di Santa Cecilia is one of the oldest musical institutions in the world, based in Italy.It is based at the Auditorium Parco della Musica in Rome, and was founded by the papal bull, Ratione congruit, issued by Sixtus V in 1585, which invoked two saints prominent in Western...

 in Rome and graduated with distinction in Gregorian chant, composition and piano. He later earned a doctorate for his thesis titled: 'Aesthetic Indian Music as a bridge between Christian and Indian Religious Music'.

He authored more than 100 compositions, some based on Indian 'Raga

Raga

A raga is one of the melodic modes used in Indian classical music.It is a series of five or more musical notes upon which a melody is made...

s', which were performed by various orchestras and musical ensembles in major capitals of the world. In addition to some of his performances which were beamed worldwide via satellite, he gave live piano, violin and organ recitals in Italy, Switzerland, Austria, England, and the United States of America.

In February 1977, Maestro António Fortunato de Figueiredo

António Fortunato de Figueiredo

Maestro António Fortunato de Figueiredo was a famous Goan conductor and violinist. He was India’s first maestro in Western classical music.-Early life:...

 handed over the directorship of Western Music wing of Goa Kala Academy and the conductorship of Goa Symphony Orchestra to Lourdino Barreto. During his tenure as Director of Western Music for Goa Kala Academy, Barreto formed the Goa Philharmonic Choir. His choir interpreted western, Indian and Goan choral music, as well as staged a few operettas, Broadway musicals and a full-length opera, Verdi's Il Trovatore. At his urging, music was for the very first time introduced as a subject at the Higher Secondary Education in Goa.

He died on January 24, 1997, a few months before he would have represented India at the Franz Schubert International Festival organized by Austria to commemorate Schubert’s second birth centenary.

Major Musical Compositions

Sam Fransisku Xaviera

Dogi Tegi Beatini

Raghupathi Raghava Rajaram

Major Stage Performances

• Fiddler on the Roof
• Mikado
• My Fair Lady
• Oliver Twist
• Orpheus in the Underworld
• Wizard of Oz
• Sound of Music

External links

• Fr. Lourdino Barreto -- Priest turned Musician