ABOUT Maria João Mendes, Jazz Singer:
Maria João (1985) graduated at ESMAE Music School in Porto (Portugal) where she got her bachelor degree in Jazz singing.
Since 2007, she has been living in The Netherlands to complete her Master degree in Jazz and Brazilian Voice Studies at CODARTS Rotterdam Conservatory.
At the age of 20, she was invited to join the famous Jazz Portuguese Group TRUPE VOCAL with whom she regularly does concerts and Jazz Festivals in Portugal and abroad.
In 2007 Maria João was invited by Ze Eduardo, the famous Portuguese double bass player, to join the Portuguese tour of EMJO – European Movement Jazz Orchestra, a project lead and created by the European Union involving young and talented Jazz musicians from Portugal, Germany and Slovenia.
In 2008 she was nominated for the ERASMUS Jazz Prijs in Rotterdam, as well
being awarded the prestigious HSP Scholarship Nuffic Netherlands.
She studied with:
- Fay Claassen, during her bachelor degree in Portugal
- Luciana Souza, 25 Seminari Internacional de Jazz, Spain
- Jay Clayton and Sheila Jordan, New York
- Rhiannon, Joey Blake and David Worm, â€Vocale improvisatie door 3 topzangers uit het vocale ensemble Voicestra van Bobby McFerrinâ€, Rotterdam
- Maria Pia de Vito, Italy
and...
Kristina Fuchs, Sanna Van Vleigt and Dominique Eade.
She also did workshops with Diederik Wissels (pianist, composer), Guinga (brazilian guitar player and composer), James Carter (tenor sax), Charlie Haden (double bass), Jason Linder (piano), Steve Wilson (sax), Joe Martin (double bass), Mark Turner (sax).
She had the privilege to play with famous international musicians such as Thomas Gansch, Karel Boehlee, Hans van Oosterhout, Annaelis de Jong, Tuur Moens, Sal La Rocca, Guinga, Nelson Faria…
In June 2008 Maria João Mendes was invited for Woma Jazz Festival in Italy, the only jazz festival in Europe that hosts female music groups.
In December 2008 she was selected for the Brussels International Jazz Singers Competition where she won the 3rd prize.
Come 2009 she is combining her Master studies at CODARTS Rotterdam Conservatory with her studies at the Royal Conservatory in Brussels, where she studies with David Linx. She also had lessons in Brazil and New York.
In February 2009, she won the 1st prize in the prestigious Dutch contest "Nederlands Jazz Vocalisten Concours" in Zwolle. Besides the award she won participation in the 2010-2011 theatre tour of Jazz Impuls.
