Composer and pedagogue. Born in São Paulo in 1927, he began his piano studies at age nine, with Ana Veloso de Rezende, and later with Maria dos Anjos Oliveira Rocha and José Kliass. From 1952 to 1962 he studied composition with Camargo Guarnieri, a composer who was instrumental in the development of his compositional style. His aesthetic ideal is that of a refined nationalism, resulting from his extensive knowledge of the characteristics of Brazilian music, combined with a solid comand of modern compositional techniques. In 1963, he spent a year in the United States under the auspices of the Guggenheim Foundation, the first time that such a distinguished fellowship was awarded to a Brazilian composer. While in the U.S., he took classes in composition with Vittorio Giannini in New York, and Aaron Copland in Tanglewood. He received several national prizes for composition, and his varied output has often been performed in Brazil and abroad. He founded and directed four musical societies in São Paulo, among them the Sociedade Pró Música Brasileira (1961-66), and the Centro de Música Brasileira (since 1984) of which he is the president. Lacerda is an active pedagogue and has taught in several music schools in São Paulo, in addition to conducting courses and master classes in several cities in Brazil.

Selected Works

• Balada, for flute and harp (1995)
• Fantasia e Rondo, for brass quintet (1977)
• Improviso, for clarinet solo (1995)
• Improviso, for oboe solo (1974/80)
• Invocação e Dança, for clarinet solo (1995)
• Melodia, for clarinet solo (1974/79)
• Melodia, for French horn solo (1974/79) [Real Player] [Quicktime]
• Pequena Suite, for string quartet (1994)
• Queixas e Reclamações, for bassoon solo (1985)
• Quinteto Concertante, for brass quintet (1990)
• String Quartet no. 1 (1952)
• String Quartet no. 2 (1995)
• Suite, for wind quintet (1997)
• Trio, for violin, cello, and piano (1969)
• Wind Quintet (1988) [Real Player] [Quicktime]
• Concerto for piccolo and string orchestra (1980)
• Dobrado, Ponteio e Maracatu, for brass and percussion (1968)
• Four Modal Pieces, for string orchestra (1975)
• Suite Guanabara, for symphonic band (1965/88)
• Trilogia, for brass ensemble (1968)