Mario Falcao, professor emeritus of harp in the Fredonia School of Music, former chair of the board of directors of the American Harp Society, and a founding member of the World Harp Congress, will receive a Lifetime Achievement Award from the harp society.
The presentation will be on June 27 at the American Harp Society national conference, to be held at the University of Redlands in California.
A native of Portugal, Professor Falcao began teaching in the School of Music in 1969, retiring from as Professor in 2007 but continuing to teach as an adjunct instructor until 2012. He received a Diploma in Harp from the National Conservatory in Lisbon, Portugal, and continued his studies through a Fulbright grant at the Eastman School of Music, graduating with a M.M. in Performance and Music Literature and a Performer’s Certificate in Harp.
He has performed and taught internationally, and has been a judge at many competitions around the world. The repertoire he favors reflects a great interest in 17th and 18th century music and new music, and he has premiered and commissioned a large number of new works for harp.
Falcao won a special prize at the 1973 International Harp Contest in Israel.
His recent CDs include, “Metamorphosis,” a solo recording of many types of music, and “Illuminations,” with music from the 16th century to the present. His most recent CD, “American Harp,” features compositions by American composers from the '70s to 2015.
