The ceremony begins at 8:00 PM with state officials, followed by the “Grand Concerts” program, which starts tonight at 8:40 PM.
The final week of the 21st Santa Catarina International Music Festival (FEMUSC) in Jaraguá do Sul kicks off with a momentous occasion. On Monday evening (19), the SCAR Grand Theater will host a formal session of the Legislative Assembly of Santa Catarina (Alesc) to confer the title of “Citizen of Santa Catarina” upon conductor Alex Klein—the founder and artistic director of FEMUSC—in recognition of his significant contribution to the state’s development.
The ceremony begins at 8:00 PM and will bring together state officials, including Representative Vicente Caropreso (PSDB), who proposed the honor—a motion unanimously approved by Alesc. The session is expected to last approximately 40 minutes and will be broadcast live on TV Alesc and the official FEMUSC YouTube channel.
Brazilian Conductor with an International Career and Close Ties to Santa Catarina
Born in Rio Grande do Sul and raised in Curitiba, Alex Klein has built a distinguished international career as an oboist and conductor. Recognized as a major figure in classical music, he served as principal oboe of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra and performed as a soloist on some of the world’s most prestigious stages, including Carnegie Hall in the United States and the Royal Albert Hall in the United Kingdom. Over the course of his career, he became the only Brazilian to win five Grammy Awards in classical music—a rare achievement on the international stage.
Despite his global renown, Klein maintains a close relationship with Santa Catarina. In 2006, he founded FEMUSC with the support of then-Governor Luiz Henrique da Silveira and the Sociedade Cultura Artística (SCAR) in Jaraguá do Sul; the society’s president at the time was Monika Hufenüssler Conrads, who currently serves as president of the Femusc Institute.
Over the years, the event has established itself as Latin America’s largest classical music festival-school, drawing around 30,000 people per edition and helping to cultivate an audience for classical music. During the 14-day event, FEMUSC offers the community 230 free concerts held at SCAR, in shopping malls, and in public spaces throughout the city, as well as at institutions such as hospitals and nursing homes.
Musical program at the Grand Theater begins at 8:40 PM this Monday
Following the formal session at Alesc, the “Great Concerts” series kicks off at 8:40 PM in the Grand Theater with Johann Sebastian Bach’s “Concerto in F Major for Oboe and Strings,” performed by Alex Klein and the FEMUSC String Orchestra.
The program continues with a performance of “The Trout” by German composer Franz Schubert. This work is a landmark of the Romantic period in classical music—an era that, among other characteristics, turned toward themes of nature and embraced greater creative freedom, facilitated by the republican system’s political separation from the Church.
In addition to the “Great Concerts” series, other performances are taking place starting at 6:00 PM in various areas of the SCAR complex.
Ticket Pickup
Tickets for all FEMUSC performances are free and become available 48 hours prior to each performance series. They must be picked up at the SCAR box office (open from 8:00 AM to 8:00 PM) or obtained via the website femusc.com.br, with a limit of two tickets per person.
The 21st FEMUSC is organized under the Federal Government’s Rouanet Law for Cultural Project Incentives. It features Master Sponsorship from Itaú, Laranjinha Itaú, and WEG; sponsorship from DR Aromas & Ingredientes, Auroracoop, Grupo Elian, Zanotti Elásticos, and Porto de Itapoá; support from Master Operações Portuárias, Mime, Menegotti, Martinelli Advogados, and Unisociesc; and is produced by SCAR, FEMUSC, the Department of Culture, Sports and Leisure, and the Jaraguá do Sul City Hall.
Explore the daily schedule for the 21st Femusc—free and open to the public:
6:00 PM: Guitar Plus Series – SCAR Multipurpose Room 1.
6:00 PM: Piano Masters Series – SCAR Multipurpose Room 2.
6:00 PM: Industrial Wander Weege Series – SCAR CineSCAR Room.
6:30 PM: Music Space (featuring food and performances) – Outdoor area between SCAR and ACIJS.
7:00 PM: Springmann Moment – SCAR Small Theater.
7:00 PM: Classical Vocal Recitals – SCAR Multipurpose Room 2.
8:30 PM: Chamber Music Recitals – SCAR Small Theater.
8:40 PM: Grand Concerts – SCAR Main Theater.
The complete, detailed schedule, including performance titles, is available on the official website: 🔗 www.femusc.com.br
Image credit: Diego Redel
