A few weeks ago we introduced Ethan McGrath; our fourth finalist to be profiled is Gerson Batista.

Gerson Batista (b.1988)

Entry name: Golden Day
Text and music by Gerson Batista

Gerson Batista is a multi-award winning young composer, illustrator, multi-instrumentalist, poet and writer from Aveiro, Portugal. He started his academic path in civil engineering but early on he began composing. In 2007 he enrolled to study music theory, church organ and vocal techniques at the Calouste Gulbenkinan Music Conservatory of Aveiro. He also studied composition with Pedro Bento, Ricardo Ribeiro and Virgílio Melo.

Gerson’s first solo album, Silent Dreams, was released in 2012 whilst composing contemporary music and premiering some of his early contemporary pieces.  Since then, Gerson has written and presented theatre pieces, published two books, and composed and produced across a broad range of musical genres.

He is currently residing in Aveiro, where he is developing and creating several projects within contemporary music, folk, jazz, writing and illustrating.

About the Walter Hussey Composition Competition, Gerson said:

First of all, I think the Walter Hussey Composition Competition came up as a great incentive for all composers around the world who like to write choral music, since there are not many open opportunities for choral writing with festive themes in the world. I also think that the organization did a great job making the contest known worldwide, since all the composer’s websites and forums talked about it with great emphasis. Therefore, I was immediately interested in the contest because I saw a great opportunity to write a piece of music that glorified a special date, life, music, “the now”.

What our judges said about Gerson’s entry:

  • Rhythmically very interesting
  • A bright, enlivening piece
  • Good harmonic content and inventive vocal treatment
  • Effective and dramatic, which the choir will enjoy singing
  • Harmonically it is quite simple but very effective
  • The tune is very sing-able and memorable
  • An inventive work by an individual voice

 

To find out more about Gerson Batista:

Website: www.gersonbatista.com
Listen: via website
Watch: YouTube and website
Contact: Facebook and website
Music available from Ava Musical Editions and via website

Next time (our fifth and last finalist):  Justin Walker