Israel Mascarenhas
Israel Mascarenhas is a bass-baritone, pianist, and member of the São Paulo Symphony Orchestra (OSESP) Choir. His work encompasses symphonic, operatic, and chamber music repertoire, with a focus on classical music and vocal performance.
Throughout his career, he has performed at major international venues and events, including Carnegie Hall in New York and the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, as well as performing for King Felipe VI of Spain in Asturias. His artistic practice brings together vocal interpretation, piano performance, and musical research, collaborating with prominent orchestras, conductors, and vocal ensembles in Brazil and internationally.
What do you find interesting about music by Latin American composers?
Latin American music has a very strong identity, shaped by the blending of Indigenous, African, and European heritages. I find it fascinating how composers bring together musical sophistication with popular elements and rhythms deeply rooted in the cultures of their peoples. There is a distinctive emotional intensity, along with harmonic and rhythmic colors that make this music exceptionally vibrant and expressive.
What do you usually do on the day of a concert?
On concert days, I try to maintain a calm and focused routine. I like to rest my voice, eat light meals, and warm up carefully a few hours before the performance. I also try to set aside moments of silence and concentration to connect with the emotional and musical atmosphere of the work I am about to perform.
If you could speak with any Brazilian artist from any period, who would it be?
I would love to speak with Heitor Villa-Lobos. Beyond being one of Brazil's greatest composers, he had a remarkably broad vision of cultural identity and the role of music in Brazil. It would be fascinating to hear his thoughts on artistic creation, music education, and the development of a genuinely Brazilian language in classical music.
Is there a film or book that has had a profound impact on you?
One book that has deeply affected me is The Brothers Karamazov by Fyodor Dostoevsky. The psychological depth of its characters and its reflections on faith, freedom, guilt, and human existence had a profound impact on me. It is a work that invites readers to reflect on human conflicts in a powerful way that remains remarkably relevant today.