Celina Pereira

 

Born in Boa Vista Island Cape Verde, went with her family to S. Vicente when she was only 6 years old.

Always concerned about the preservation of the collective memory and, consequently, of the Capeverdian people’s identity itself, Celina Pereira has been accomplishing - since her first LP; “Força di Crêtcheu”, edited in Lisbon in 1986 -, the adventure of trying to recover what for her people’s soul is most precious, through what represents the true wealth and diversity of its musical culture.

Through investigation and research made in Cape Verde and among the Capeverdian diaspora spread all over the world, Celina Pereira presents a luxurious repertoire including themes that are the foundation for the fixing of the people’s tradition, recovering “mazurkas”, wedding songs and “mornas” (sort of ballad), lullaby songs, “lundum” (ancient African themes sang by slaves carried in the ships), “choros” (funeral songs), “lenga-lengas” (minimal popular songs) as well as rural themes, all belonging to the true rich oral traditions, still waiting for a continued register for the preservation of the extremely rich cultural Cape Verde heritage.

With this constant and systematic work she has enabled the safeguard of themes otherwise irrecoverably lost.

As a multifaceted artist, Celina Pereira has also been permanently dynamic in several media sectors, namely as a radio journalist and story teller, function she started in Boston, Massachusetts, USA high schools and primary schools since 1990.

She has participated at international world music festivals,  especially in Europe, and due to her repertoire and vocal interpretative qualities her name came along with those of great artists such as Youssou Ndour (Senegal), Célia Cruz (Cuba), Olodum, Daniela Mercury, Chico César, Carlinhos Brown, Martinho da Vila, Gilberto Gil (Brasil), Manu di Bango (Camarões), Rokia Traoré, Inez Mettzel (Argel), Grupo TARTITT (Mauritania – Berbere Women), Al Jarreau, Bobby McFerrin, Nina Simone, Manhattan Transfer (USA).

Celina Pereira, professionally a teacher, speaks fluently six languages (Portuguese, Capeverdian criol, English, French, Spanish and Italian). She is a permanent educator of the MUS-E intercultural education program belonging to the International Yehudi Menuhin Foundation – Brussels, Belgium.

She has received several awards among which – in 1992 the Second World Centre for the studies of Peace Culture in Sogliano –Italy awarded her with the “Antonio Alba prize”; in 2004 she was rewarded by the Portuguese President of the Republic with the Merit Medal - commentator degree and in December 2007 by the Cape Verde President of the Republic with the Volcano Medal – first grade award.

Charismatic Halls applauded her such as the Opera House, Alte Opper, Frankfurt; Quasímodo, Berlin; De Doelen, Rotterdam; Teatro Bebienna, Mantova, Italy; Tom Brasil, S. Paulo; CCB - Centro Cultural de Belém; Sala dos Espelhos do Palácio Foz, Lisboa; Convento dos Capuchos, Caparica, Portugal; Teatre Le Trianon, Paris; Philarmonie – Luxembourg, being always highly praised by the international media.