The first and only South American to obtain the 1st Saxophone Award at the Superior National Conservatory of Music in Paris (CNSMP), Dilson Florêncio has a long list of achievements. After starting his saxophone studies at the age of 11 at the Escola de Música de Brasília, he joined UnB (University of Brasília), where he studied with Professor Luiz Gonzaga Carneiro and fought for the creation of a saxophone course, becoming, at the age of 21, the first Brazilian to graduate in saxophone. He then continues his studies at the CNSMP with the French great master Daniel Deffayet.
Dilson Florêncio has dedicated himself to the dissemination and propagation of the classic saxophone. On this journey, he worked throughout Brazil and Argentina, Colombia, France, Spain and Canada. His performances include performances as a recitalist, saxophone quartets and as a soloist in more than fifty concerts with orchestra (under the conduct of conductors such as Isaac Karabtchevsky, David Mackenzie, Fábio Mechetti, Roberto Duarte, Marcos Arakaki, Claudio Cruz, Osman Giuseppe Gioia, Carlos Veiga, Roberto Minczuc, Per Brevig, Silvio Barbato, Ligia Amadio, Pablo Saelzer, Silvio Viegas, Marcelo Ramos and Mário Tavares).
Dilson was also recognized with several awards that – in addition to the CNSMP – include the winner of the IV Young Concertos Brasileiros Concerto Brasileiro in 1985 and the first prize in the two regional competitions he participated in in France (1er Prix Supérieur in 1984 and Prix Dexellence in 1985). Experienced professional, was invited to be part of the jury of several contests, including the Concours Léopold Bellan (Paris, 1987), the final CNSMP contest, in 2007 (exactly 20 years after having won the 1st prize in that competition) and the international competition Adolphe Sax, in Dinant, Belgium, in 2010.
Dilson naturally understands the importance of teaching and is passionate about it. During his stay in Paris (1983-1987), he served as a visiting professor at several institutions (among them the conservatoires des 12ème and 17ème arrondissements of Paris). Back in Brazil, he was initially a professor at EMB – exactly where he started his studies. In 1990, he obtained another space for the saxophone in Brazil, when he was hired by the UFMG (Federal University of Minas Gerais) as the first university professor in Brazil dedicated exclusively to the saxophone. In 2012, after transfer, he started teaching at UFPB (Federal University of Paraíba). In addition, he teaches at the main music festivals in Brazil, where he takes great pleasure in motivating and helping new talents.
In October 2015, in recognition of all his work in favor of the classic saxophone in Brazil, he was awarded in Brasília with the creation of an international contest that bears his name, the “International Competition of Saxophone Dilson Florêncio”.