Conservatório Estadual de Música Lorenzo Fernândez: educação musical e formação cultural em Montes Claros-MG (1961-2011)

Abstract

This study is located in History of Education’s field, carried out in the State University of Montes Claros’ (Unimontes) Education Graduate Program. Its general objective is to report on the foundation and development process of the State Conservatory of Music Lorenzo Fernândez as a public educational institution focused on the musical education of children, teens and adults in the northern region of Minas Gerais. The established time frame refers to the installation period of the referred institution, in the year 1961, until its 50th anniversary, in 2011. The theoretical-methodological foundation for the knowledge of the history of this educational institution was based on the History of School Institutions, constituting itself as research that focuses on regional history. The methodological procedures consisted of documentary research in public and private archives and school records, in which it was possible to have access to newspapers, official publications, photographs, teaching legislation, among other documents. We used Oral History to expand the sources once we understand that this methodology makes it possible to capture information that is not obtainable through other sources and allows giving visibility to the actors who contributed to the consolidation of the Conservatory as an educational institution for Montes Claros and the northern region of Minas Gerais. Thus, interviews were conducted with former directors, former professors and former students, allowing access to experiences and representations about the Conservatory based on their memories. The literature review included books, theses, dissertations and articles on the historiography of school institutions, the use of sources in historical research, particularly Oral History, education, culture, creation of the Conservatories of Minas Gerais, history of the city of Montes Claros and the State Conservatory of Music Lorenzo Fernândez. To guide the study of school institutions and the use of historical sources, support was sought from authors such as Nosella and Buffa (2008), Sanfelice (2006), Gatti Jr. and Gatti (2015), Burke (2011), Pinsk (2008), Reis (2006) and Thompson (1992). Researching a music school as an educational institution through the interviewees' reports made it possible to understand the creation and constitution of the school, the formation of the teaching staff, the challenges for the growth and maintenance of the Conservatory as a space for professional performance and musical training. It was possible to discuss the female presence’s strength at the Conservatory, in particular the leadership and dynamism of Marina Helena Lorenzo Fernândez Silva. The ability to create strategies to face and overcome the challenges presented in the conduct of the Conservatory was noted, as well as promoting and boosting the institution, teachers and students. This issues’ discussion made it possible to understand the social influence of the Conservatory for Montes Claros and Minas Gerais’ northern region and the cultural legacy transmitted in the first 50 years of its existence.