Gilson Filho, freshman from Brazil, won first place for strings in the South Central Division of the Music Teachers National Association Young Artist Competition held in Austin, Texas Jan. 14-15 and qualified to participate in the national competition on March 26 in New York City.

Filho began playing the violin at age 7 in a music program in Recife, Pernambuco in Brazil.

“It was a program for poor children and my mother sent me there to keep me off the streets,” Filho said. “It was just me and my mother.”

Filho won a national competition in Brazil at age 14.

James Alexander, music instructor and director of the Nicholls string program, saw Filho play the violin in Brazil when he was 17.

“I first heard him some years ago. He was a student of my friend Ademar Rocha,” Alexander said. “I was impressed with his facility on the instrument as well as his very expressive sound.”

Alexander offered Filho a fully-paid scholarship to attend Nicholls and study the violin.

Filho worked in a professional orchestra in Brazil for two and a half years while he learned English, and began classes at Nicholls in Fall 2011.

“I left my job in the orchestra to come to Nicholls and get my undergraduate degree,” Filho said.

Luciana Soares, associate professor of music, said that although there were high levels of competition at regionals, Filho shined.

“Gilson played a very difficult repertoire effortlessly, as though the pieces were easy,” Soares said.

The program performed must contain compositions from at least two different periods of music including baroque, classic, romantic, impressionistic and contemporary. Qualifying string instruments include the violin, viola, cello and string bass.

Gilson’s competition program included the concerto for violin and orchestra by Finnish composer Jean Sibelius. Soares accompanied Gilson by playing the piano reduction of the orchestral part.

“We worked together throughout the fall semester, concentrating on each of the three movements at a time, until the regional competition in Austin earlier this month,” Soares said. “It was a pleasure accompanying him and watching his progress in every rehearsal.”

She explained that Filho’s dedication and genuine passion for music sets him apart from many musicians.

“We have to play our instrument for 40 minutes,” Filho said. “Forty minutes is a pretty long time, but it is all good.”

Filho said he is excited for the national competition on Mar. 26 and hopes to win.

Soares said that Filho is a very dedicated student.

“He is a very fast learner and has an incredible facility playing the violin,” Soares said. “These qualities, along with the high level of instruction he receives from his teacher James Alexander, contribute to his success.”

Alexander said that Filho is a very fine violinist.

“Now that I know him better as a person and musician, I see his great work ethic as being a real asset,” Alexander said. “He is also very curious intellectually, which is a great quality for a musician.”

Filho spends about six hours a day practicing his violin in Talbot Hall in addition to work with Alexander, his violin instructor.

“Alexander is like the father I never had,” Filho said. “He supports me and helps me in every way.”

Filho said that in only one semester, he has grown very comfortable with the University.

“I miss my mother a lot, but we get to talk on the Internet through skype,” Filho said. “When I am not practicing my violin, I like to work out, watch movies, sleep and hang out with my friends.”

Filho will perform a solo with the Nicholls string ensemble on Feb. 17 at 7:30p.m. for the Nicholls Camerata at St. Joseph Cathedral.