Hugo Pilger
www.hugopilger.com
“I carefully listened to his performance and found it to be full of wonderful qualities…”
Henri Dutilleux
“Impeccable technique, sheer virtuosic command and stupendous sound! Breathtaking performance!”
Álvaro Gallegos M.
Internationally acclaimed cellist Hugo Pilger has performed in South America, North America, and Europe, appearing as a soloist with the Brazilian Symphony Orchestra (OSB), Campinas Symphony Orchestra, Chamber Orchestra of the City of Curitiba, Bahia Symphony Orchestra, Petrobras Symphony Orchestra, Ouro Preto Orchestra, Brazil’s National Symphony Orchestra, Theatro Municipal do Rio de Janeiro’s Orchestra, and Porto Alegre Symphony Orchestra. He performed both the 2006 Brazilian premiere of Henri Dutilleux’s prestigious Toute un Monde Lointain, for cello and orchestra, and in the 2009 Latin-American premiere of Arvo Pärt’s cello concerto, Pro et Contra. Hugo Pilger began his cello studies with Milton Bock at Fundarte (Arts Foundation of Montenegro - Rio Grande do Sul), before moving to Rio in 1987. He completed his BM, MM, and DMA degrees at Federal University of State of Rio de Janeiro (UNIRIO), where he studied with Marcio Malard and Alceu Reis. A member of the Porto Alegre Trio, Mr. Pilger is also professor of cello at Federal University of State of Rio de Janeiro (UNIRIO).
Hugo Pilger is the dedicatee of numerous works, including Cello Sonata No. 2, by David Ashbridge, Orégano, by Ricardo Tacuchian, Meloritmias No. 10, by Ernani Aguiar, Serenata for Pilger, by Maurício Carrilho, Reflexões sobre a Ostra e o Vento, by Wagner Tiso, O Golpe, by Felipe Radicetti, Esferas, by Paulo Francisco Paes, Concerto for Cello and Orchestra (2013), by Ernst Mahle, and Sortilégios, by Marcos Lucas. Hugo Pilger’s active career as a recording artist has graced him with several awards, including the Açorianos Prize for Best Classical Performer and Best Classical CD in 2015/2016 for Hugo Pilger interpreta Ernani Aguiar (Hugo Pilger performs Ernani Aguiar), the Açorianos Prize for Best Classical Performer (Pilger), Best Classical CD, and Best Composer in 2017/2018 for Ernst Mahle, a integral para violoncelo e piano (Ernst Mahle, complete works for cello and piano), a project released in collaboration with pianist Guilherme Sauerbronn. The double-album, DVD, and Blu-Ray titled Presença de Villa-Lobos na Música Brasileira para Violoncelo e Piano (Villa-Lobo’s Presence in Brazilian music for cello and piano), performed by Hugo Pilger and pianist Lúcia Barrenechea, was the first recording to feature the composer’s own cello (a 1779 Martin Diehl), and was a finalist of the 2015 Brazilian Music Award. The second volume of this project received Açorianos Prize nominations for Best Performer (Pilger), and Best Classical CD in 2016/2017. In 2018, Hugo Pilger was awarded the Music Professionals Prize in the category of “Classical music instrumentalist”. He also authored the book Heitor Villa-Lobos, o violoncelo e seu idiomatismo (Heitor Villa-Lobos, the cello and its idiomatic language), released in 2013.