Vianna was born in [https://pt.wikipedia.org/wiki/São_Gonçalo_%28Rio_de_Janeiro%29 São Goncalo], a city in Rio de Janeiro state. At the age of 8, he began his musical studies on the organ and piano, playing regularly at a local church. Vianna grew up listening to and playing [https://www.plu.edu/music/news/2019/03/14/cassio-vianna/ “a variety of musical styles: from classical to popular music, from traditional Christian hymns to Brazilian jazz, from folk to jazz fusion.”]
Vianna was born in [https://pt.wikipedia.org/wiki/São_Gonçalo_%28Rio_de_Janeiro%29 São Goncalo], a city in Rio de Janeiro state. At the age of 8, he began his musical studies on the organ and piano, playing regularly at a local church. Vianna grew up listening to and playing [https://www.plu.edu/music/news/2019/03/14/cassio-vianna/ “a variety of musical styles: from classical to popular music, from traditional Christian hymns to Brazilian jazz, from folk to jazz fusion.”]
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In his teenage years, Vianna studied functional and modal harmony under the guidance of Hungarian-Brazilian composer [https://dicionariompb.com.br/artista/ian-guest/ Ian Guest] at the [https://dicionariompb.com.br/termo/centro-ian-guest-de-aperfeicoamento-musical-cigam/ Centro Ian Guest de Aperfeicoamento Musical (CIGAM)] in Rio de Janeiro. This experience had great influence on Vianna’s desire to pursue a career as a composer.<ref>https://www.plu.edu/news/archive/2022/06/05/cassio-vianna/ A Universal Language: Cassio Vianna shares a passion he discovered in Brazil with students at PLU</ref>
In his teenage years, Vianna studied functional and modal harmony under the guidance of Hungarian-Brazilian composer [https://dicionariompb.com.br/artista/ian-guest/ Ian Guest] at the [https://dicionariompb.com.br/termo/centro-ian-guest-de-aperfeicoamento-musical-cigam/ Centro Ian Guest de Aperfeicoamento Musical (CIGAM)] in Rio de Janeiro. This experience had great influence on Vianna’s desire to pursue a career as a composer.<ref>. A Universal Language: Cassio Vianna shares a passion he discovered in Brazil with students at PLU</ref>
In 1996, Vianna recorded his first album, the CD Plenitude de Louvor with the group Ministerio Missao Vale (MK Publicita); the contemporary Christian album features Vianna as a composer, arranger, keyboardist, vocalist, and co-Producer.
In 1996, Vianna recorded his first album, the CD Plenitude de Louvor with the group Ministerio Missao Vale (MK Publicita); the contemporary Christian album features Vianna as a composer, arranger, keyboardist, vocalist, and co-Producer.
Page Title: Cassio Vianna
Cassio Fernando Barbosa Vianna (born July 30, 1976) is a Brazilian-American composer, arranger, producer, pianist, and music educator. In 2025, Vianna was nominated for a Latin Grammy Award in the Best Arrangement category. He has released several albums of his original music and has appeared as a sideman and composer on a variety of recording projects in Brazil and in the United States.
BIOGRAPHY
Vianna was born in São Goncalo, a city in Rio de Janeiro state. At the age of 8, he began his musical studies on the organ and piano, playing regularly at a local church. Vianna grew up listening to and playing “a variety of musical styles: from classical to popular music, from traditional Christian hymns to Brazilian jazz, from folk to jazz fusion.”
In his teenage years, Vianna studied functional and modal harmony under the guidance of Hungarian-Brazilian composer Ian Guest at the Centro Ian Guest de Aperfeicoamento Musical (CIGAM) in Rio de Janeiro. This experience had great influence on Vianna’s desire to pursue a career as a composer.[1]
In 1996, Vianna recorded his first album, the CD Plenitude de Louvor with the group Ministerio Missao Vale (MK Publicita); the contemporary Christian album features Vianna as a composer, arranger, keyboardist, vocalist, and co-Producer.
In 2003, Vianna graduated with a Bachelor of Brazilian Popular Music degree from Universidade Federal do Estado do Rio de Janeiro (Uni-Rio). He moved to the United States in 2009 to pursue graduate studies. Vianna now holds a Doctor of Arts degree in Music (Jazz Studies) from the University of Northern Colorado, and a Master of Music degree from Western Oregon University.
As a music educator, Vianna has taught at several music academies in Rio de Janeiro, and since moving to the U.S., he has taught at Western Oregon University, Umpqua Community College, and the University of Northern Colorado. He is currently Associate Professor of Music and Director of Jazz Studies at Pacific Lutheran University in Tacoma, WA.
In 2017, Vianna formed the Cassio Vianna Jazz Orchestra, an ensemble dedicated to performing Vianna’s original compositions and arrangements for jazz big band. The group has recorded two albums: Infancia (Teal Creek Music, 2017) and Vida (Teal Creek Music, 2025). VIanna’s compositions for jazz big band are published by UNC Jazz Press and iJazzMusic. Artists who have performed Vianna’s arrangements and compositions include Eric Marienthal, Chris Potter, Ernie Watts, Wayne Bergeron, Martha Reeves, and the United States Army Field Band (Jazz Ambassadors).
He serves as Associate Professor of Music and Director of Jazz Studies at Pacific Lutheran University.
Vianna holds a Doctor of Arts degree in Music (Jazz Studies) from the University of Northern Colorado, a Master of Music degree from Western Oregon University, and a Bachelor of Music Degree from Universidade Federal do Estado do Rio de Janeiro (UniRio).
Website: cassiovianna.com
DISCOGRAPHY
As a Leader or Co-Leader:
Vida (Teal Creek Music, 2025) — Cassio Vianna Jazz Orchestra
Infância (Teal Creek Music, 2017) — Cassio Vianna Jazz Orchestra
Letters to Grace: A Song Cycle (Teal Creek Music, 2011)
No Caminho (Teal Creek Music, 2009) — Dialeto Brasileiro
O Sinal: A História Cantada do Profeta Jonas (Independent, 2000), by Primeira Igreja Batista em São Gonçalo (Brazil)
As a Sideman, Composer, or Arranger:
Wanderings (Independent, 2024) by Andree-Ann Deschenes
Herança (Independent, 2016) by Primeira Igreja Batista em São Gonçalo (Brazil)
Possível Basta (Independent, 2015) by Danilo Minarini
Hello (Stix Hooper Enterprises, 2014) by Zac Wolfe
White Teeth, Black Thoughts (Space Age Bachelor Pad Records, 2013) by Cherry Poppin’ Daddies
Lukas Hein and Dialeto Brasileiro (Teal Creek Music, 2012)
Coisa Rara (Dialah, 1999) by Piry Reis
Amigos de Jesus (Line Records, 1996) by Marilene Vieira
Plenitude de Louvor (MK Publicitá, 1996) by Ministério Missão Vale
