Recognized by The London Sunday Times as “a triumph of delicacy and suave embellishment in rare Baroque repertory” and praised by Mittelbayerische (Regensburg, Germany) for her “smooth sound, intricate ornamentation, and obvious joy of playing,” Brazilian recorder player Cléa Galhano is an internationally renowned performer specializing in early, contemporary, and Brazilian music.

Galhano has performed across the United States, Canada, South America, and Europe as a chamber musician, collaborating with distinguished artists such as Marion Verbruggen, Jaap ter Linden, Jacques Ogg, Belladonna Baroque Quartet, Kingsbury Ensemble, Rosana Lanzelotte, and René Izquierdo. As a featured soloist, she has worked with the Saint Paul Chamber Orchestra, New World Symphony, Musical Offering, and Lyra Baroque Orchestra.

“A triumph of delicacy and suave embellishment in rare Baroque repertory.”

She has appeared at major music festivals, including the Boston Early Music Festival and the Tage Alter Musik Festival in Germany, and has performed in prestigious venues such as Wigmore Hall in London, Weill Hall at Carnegie Hall, Merkin Hall in New York, and Palazzo Santa Croce in Rome—consistently earning critical acclaim. Galhano made her Weill Hall debut at Carnegie Hall in May 2010 and returned for a second recital in December 2013 alongside internationally renowned Cuban guitarist René Izquierdo.

Her education includes studies at Faculdade Santa Marcelina in Brazil, the Royal Conservatory in The Hague, and the New England Conservatory of Music in Boston. She is a recipient of the prestigious LASPAU/Fulbright Scholarship and support from the Dutch government.

Currently, Galhano serves as the Music Director of the Recorder Orchestra of the Midwest and holds a faculty position at the Jacobs School of Music at Indiana University. She has received numerous accolades, including the McKnight Fellowship Award, the MSAB Cultural Collaborative and Arts Initiative grants, the National Arts Associate of Sigma Alpha Iota, and the American Recorder Society President’s Special Honor Award.

With nine recordings released on the Dorian, Ten Thousand Lakes, and Eldorado labels, Cléa Galhano continues to inspire audiences worldwide with her artistry and dedication to the recorder.