Guest Artist Recital: Kristen Mather De Andrade - Clarinet and Vocals & Vitor Gonçalves - Piano and Accordion

Kristen Mather de Andrade is a New York-based clarinetist, vocalist, and producer whose artistry brings together classical, jazz, and Brazilian music. A critically acclaimed recording artist, she honors musical traditions while making diverse repertoire accessible to audiences.

As principal clarinetist and soloist with the West Point Band, Mather de Andrade has performed for American presidents, ambassadors at United Nations Headquarters, and the former Queen of Spain. Her appearances include Carnegie Hall, The Kennedy Center, Avery Fisher Hall, and Severance Hall. She also produces events and digital content for the band, including projects broadcast on national networks.

Raised in Youngstown, Ohio, Mather de Andrade developed a deep connection to Brazilian music and culture, learning Portuguese by ear. Her Brazilian music debut attracted favorable coverage in O Globo.

Her third album, Sem Fim (“Endless”), reflects her orchestral background and passion for Brazil’s rich musical heritage. Co-produced with Vitor Gonçalves and Eduardo Belo, the recording features a 15-piece orchestra, the Toomai string quintet, and a Brazilian rhythm section. Its repertoire spans choro, frevo, sertanejo, MPB, and bossa nova, showcasing her lyrical clarinet playing and expressive vocals.

Sem Fim celebrates a lineage of women in music through compositions by Chiquinha Gonzaga and Tia Amélia and a Grammy-winning engineering team: Brandie Lane and Darcy Proper. The album also features jazz trumpeter Sean Jones and the premiere recording of “Endless and Blind,” by Daniel Freiberg and Steven Sater.

Through performance and recording, Mather de Andrade seeks to share this enduring music with audiences around the world.

Vitor Gonçalves is a pianist, accordionist, composer, and arranger from Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Before moving to New York City in 2012, he established a career performing with Brazilian artists including Hermeto Pascoal, Maria Bethânia, and Itiberê Zwarg.

In New York, Gonçalves has developed a musical voice connecting jazz with Brazilian traditions. He has been featured on NPR’s Jazz Night in America, hosted by Christian McBride, and in The New York Times through his work with Spok Frevo Orquestra. He performs regularly at Jazz at Lincoln Center, Jazz Standard, and the Jazz Gallery, leading his own projects and collaborating with Anat Cohen, Vinícius Cantuária, Anthony Wilson, Cyro Baptista, and Yotam Silberstein.

His international appearances include the Newport Jazz Festival, Jazz à Vienne, Umbria Jazz Festival, Queen Elizabeth Hall in London, and the Coliseum in Lisbon.

While pursuing a master’s degree at City College, Gonçalves began leading ensembles and forming collectives. His 2017 Sunnyside Records debut, Vitor Gonçalves Quartet, features drummer Dan Weiss, bassist Thomas Morgan, and guitarist Todd Neufeld. DownBeat awarded the album four and a half stars.

He also co-leads SanfoNYa Brasileira, an accordion trio with bassist Eduardo Belo and drummer Vanderlei Pereira, and Regional de NY, an American ensemble devoted to choro. Their albums feature guest artists Steve Wilson and Fred Hersch, respectively.

Gonçalves received two 2020 Grammy nominations for his work with Thalma de Freitas in Best Latin Jazz Album and the Anat Cohen Tentet in Best Large Jazz Ensemble Album, reflecting his versatility across musical traditions.