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Learn more about Matheus

• When did you first develop a passion for music and your favorite instrument?

  When I was five, I used to stay in the house with my mom after school, and in the afternoons, she would always listen to a lot of music on our sound system. She had loads of CDs and vinyls. I remember listening to "Con Te Partirò" by Andrea Bocelli for the first time and feeling really touched. From then on, I started switching turns with my mom, choosing the songs and albums we would listen to every day.
  
  At the age of 15, even though I already played the guitar, I started taking lessons at a music school. We had band practices and performances, theory lessons, and lots of activities. That's when my passion grew a lot, and I knew I wanted to become a professional musician.

• Is there a particular type of music or artist that you listen to on a loop without it driving you crazy?

  I love music in general, and I'm very curious about all types of songs, so maybe my answer will change over time. For now, I'll name Stromae, Gregory Alan Isakov, and Ásgeir. The music they make is genius, and I find myself fascinated and obsessed with their craft.

• Explain to us the most difficult or riveting course you could personally give to a student of music.

  An Ear Training Course. This means learning to recognize and play music just by listening to it. At first, it might seem like a technical skill, but it's actually very intuitive. You'd train your ears to hear the patterns in music, like the difference between a happy sound (a major scale) and a sad one (a minor scale), or the feel of a bluesy or dramatic melody.
  
  With practice, you'd be able to hear two notes or a chord in a song and say, "Oh, that's a major chord," or "That's a minor third." This skill makes it possible to pick up your instrument and play almost any song you hear without needing to look at the sheet music or tabs. You'd also understand how different sounds create emotions, so you would know how to create exactly the mood you want.
  
  We'd start small, learning to recognize simple patterns and practicing with real songs. I'd give you short exercises where you'd listen to a melody or chord progression and try to figure it out. As you improve, we'd move on to more complex challenges, but everything would build gradually so it feels natural.

• What do you think is the most complicated instrument to master and why?

  I don't think I can tell for sure, but I'm definitely not getting anywhere near the violin or violoncello!

• What are your keys to success?

  I believe the keys to success are discipline and structure. I've never thought of myself as particularly naturally talented, but I'm convinced that if you're always looking for ways to improve your practice or development in any area, ways to make your time more productive and efficient, and, more importantly, if you stick to the plan you've set for yourself, constantly questioning and adjusting it when needed, there's no way you won't eventually reach a high level of success.
  
  The biggest challenge for me was always maintaining consistency over the long term. But I believe learning an instrument really teaches you that. When you skip practice or let your routine slip, you can feel your skills decline. You notice the difference right away. Hey, I just gave you another reason to take guitar lessons.

• Name three musicians you dream of meeting in your favourite bar in the early hours of the morning. Explain why.

  tromae, Asgeir, and Gregory Alan Isakov.
  
  Stromae's Multitude and Asgeir's Time On My Hands really blew my mind with their level of composition and production. I keep listening to them, trying to figure out how they achieved such an amazing result. I'd love to talk to them about their creative process and how they got to that point.
  
  Gregory Alan Isakov's music really connects with me. The way he writes his lyrics, with simple yet powerful storytelling, and the way he mixes folk melodies and guitar, is something I really admire.
  
  As a musician and songwriter, I think talking to these three would give me a lot of great insights on how to improve. Maybe one day I could release something at least 10% as good as what they've done.

• Provide a valuable anecdote related to music or your days at music school.

  I honestly have no idea what I should say here. But here's the coolest story I have to tell:
  
  In June 2024, I went from playing on the streets to performing in front of 25,000 people in just two days. My music duo, Docus, was busking on the streets of Barcelona, playing to about 15 people. Two guys, probably in their early 50s, showed up, looking like rock guitarists. They watched our whole set and even FaceTimed someone while pointing at us. We didn't think much of it.
  
  At the end of our set, they approached us, said they liked our music, and asked if we'd be interested in opening for their show at Palau Sant Jordi that Sunday, one of the biggest stadiums of Barcelona. This was a Friday. C'mon, we're in the street, playing for 15 people. There's no way they mean that Palau Sant Jordi.
  
  We kept talking about technical stuff-channels, mixing desks-and they said they'd confirm with their management and call us back the next day. By then, we weren't too excited, assuming it was just another small event, like a wedding or a local celebration. The last question we asked was, "By the way, what's the name of your band?"
  
  One of them replied, "Maná." I froze. Maná is one of the most legendary Latin American rock bands, with hundreds of millions of streams on every song. I grew up listening to them with my mom in Brazil, and here I was, being asked to open for them.
  
  Two days later, we were on stage at Palau Sant Jordi, standing in front of 25,000 people, hardly believing what was happening. We said, "Two days ago, we were playing for 15 people on the street, and now we're here because Maná gave us this opportunity." The crowd went crazy. It was nothing short of magical.
  
  We ended up playing two more shows with them in Madrid, and it marked an incredible start for our debut album Infinite, which you can find anywhere online.

• What are the little touches that make you a Superprof in music?

  My lessons are always adapted to students' needs and pace, making sure they feel comfortable while still being challenged. The goal is to make music enjoyable and accessible, with the difficulty gradually increasing. Concepts are broken down into smaller parts to make them easier to understand, and the focus is on applying what's learned directly to practice, instead of getting too theoretical. I think also learning any concept/technique with the songs you love really helps.