Mag. Art. Dana Ribeiro Brito (musician, music educator, composer, singer-songwriter, and director of the Music Association Alauda Dulcis) pursued her musical studies in classical guitar, piano, and recorder at the University of Music and Performing Arts Vienna, Austria (Mag. Art., 2006), at the Escola Superior de Música in Lisbon, Portugal (Erasmus scholarship, 2002), and at the Conservatory in Košice, Slovakia (1991–1997). A dedicated lifelong learner, she is also a self-taught vihuela and organ player and has enhanced her skills through numerous masterclasses led by prominent musicians.
She brings 30 years of teaching experience as a guitar and piano instructor, both as a private tutor and as a teacher at various institutions, including the Musisches Zentrum Wien, Wiener Volkshochschulen, and the Elementary Art School Košice.
In 2022, she founded the Music Association Alauda Dulcis in Vienna, aiming to provide high-quality individual music lessons to primary and secondary schools, promote the publication of new compositions, and conduct research in the field of early music.
Since 1994, years of artistic and concert activities as a guitarist, vihuelist, composer, and singer/songwriter under the stage name Dana Tupinambá.
Artistic biography:
Dana’s music has been described as beautifully ethereal and atmospheric, touching the hearts of many. Critics and fans, fond of her music, describe her style as very inventive, magical, remarkable, haunting, and very delicate. She has two albums with her original songs and compositions out: RAIN OF PEACE (2006) and LEAF (2012).
Dana comes from an artistic family, and she fell in love with music and poetry since her childhood, devoting herself to a variety of musical styles such as Early, Baroque and classical music, Folk, Brazilian and Portuguese music, Celtic and British folk, Slavic choral music, Jazz, Psychedelic Rock and Blues where she finds the inspirations for her music and songwriting.
She composes and arranges her music for a variety of different instruments (violoncello, viola da gamba, string trio, string quartet, oboe, trumpet, flugelhorn, saxophone, flute, recorder, harmonica, bass, glockenspiel, celeste, fender rhodes, harpsichord, organ, vihuela, vocal choir, etc.) and composes her solo pieces mostly for guitar, piano and organ.
In her poetic lyrics, Dana draws inspiration and explores deep themes such as love, friendship, loss, death, sadness, the joy of life, adventure, elements of nature, and life moments. Many of her songs and compositions draw inspiration from the places and mountains she walked through, by historical events, people, films, or by musicians and artists she deeply admires. Dana, a polyglot, writes her songs mostly in English and Portuguese or in an inventive fantasy language.
Her two released albums: RAIN OF PEACE (2006) and LEAF (2012), gained acclaimed critics from all over the world. Rain of Peace, nominated among the 10 Top albums of 2006 in Austrian Magazine Kulturwoche and Leaf for the best album of 2012 for the Esprit Jazz Award in Slovakia. Dana creates a very atmospheric soundscape with her music, exploring a diverse range of possibilities of her two guitars (steel and nylon string) and of her delicate voice.
Concerts/references:
Konzerthaus Wien, Porgy&Bess, ClubFestival Vienna, Festival Mujeres, Theater am Spittelberg, Augarten Vienna, Open Air Festival Bratislava, Open Air Festival Poprad, Joe Zawinuls Birdland, Ausser Jazzfrühling, Kulturzentrum Wolkenstein, Kulturschloss Traun, Spis Castle, Festival Moving Cultures, World Music Festival, Altstadtzauber Klagenfurt, Miles Smiles, Kunstgarten Graz, Haus der Musik St. Johann, Renaissance Schloss Breitungen, Café Tasso Berlin, WUK Vienna, ORF Austria, Radio Devin, Esprit Jazz Award Slovakia, Radio Educadora Bahia Brazil, Fatea Radio UK, MICA Austria, Akustik Gitarre Deutschland, Inpartmaint Japan etc.
