Olga Kopylova’s first contact with the music of Villa-Lobos occurred when she joined the Moscow Conservatory in 1997. Her teacher, Liudmila Roshina, suggested some songs by composers from other countries and one of them was Villa-Lobos, with the works “Baby Proles 1 and 2”. Kopylova was perplexed by the Brazilian composer’s writing, which seemed too difficult to her, which made her give up on the pieces.

In 2000, however, when he moved to Brazil and assumed the position of titular pianist at OSESP, he began to perform concerts and recordings of several works by Villa-Lobos.

In 2021, already completely familiar with the composer’s solo piano repertoire, the idea arose of recording an album that would offer listeners a clear view of the richness and diversity of styles present in Villa-Lobos’ writing.

By fusing existing forms in the European heritage with Brazilian folklore, the composer created a legacy of inestimable value to the piano repertoire: Complex pieces in musical and technical terms, proposing to the performers challenges that explore all the keyboard registers, often presenting multiplicity and overlapping rhythms and harmonies. From the music to the graphic design of the album, created by French-American artist Clovis Pareiko, COLOURS OF VILLA-LOBOS is a tribute to diversity.

“I feel his songs as palettes and explosions of colors, a carnival parade where characters of multiple emotional nuances are presented, dressed in exuberant costumes. For me, the sound world of Villa-Lobos is colourful, deep and intense”. – Olga Kopylova