Yamandu Costa

A young genius of Brazilian music, embodying the soul of its melodies and rhythms with improvisational brilliance on his seven-string guitar.

Yamandú Costa was born in Brazil, where he began his guitar studies with his father when he was 7 years old. Later, he perfected his technique with Argentine virtuoso Lúcio Yanel. Until the age of 15, Yamandú’s only music school was the folk music he heard from the south of Brazil, Argentina and Uruguay. He eventually began to study the music of renowned Brazilian musicians such as Baden Powell, Tom Jobim, and Raphael Rabello. When he was 17, he played for the first time in São Paulo at Circuito Cultural Banco do Brasil, which led to his immediate recognition as one of the most gifted guitar players in Brazil.

Now generally regarded as one of the foremost performers of Brazilian music, Yamandú’s performances reveal the deep intimacy between him and his guitar. His music does not fit into a single music style; rather, he has created his own. His gave a memorable performance as part of the 92nd Street Y Guitar Marathon in 2008. His performance on the NYCCGS Concert Series will be his first full solo concert in the United States.