Jacques Mathias Oliveira
Composer, Arranger, Producer & Guitar Player
WELCOME!
Strings Recording of "The Ancient Spirits of Andes" -- Budapest/Hungary.
If you’ve been making a living as a musician, you’ve likely worked on a wide variety of projects—just like I have. It’s not always easy to choose just one to highlight! That said, I’d like to share a piece I composed for EMI Production Music.
My friend Sandor from Budapest kindly recorded the string session for my composition titled "Spirits of Andes." You can listen to it here. If you’re looking for an excellent studio for recording or production, be sure to check out their website: [www.tomtom.hu].
...and, if you prefer, here is the final mixed version on Spotify:
I won't populate this session with more examples. Please, check out the PORTFOLIO if you want to listen to more! :)
SHORT BIO
Hi, I’m Jacques! I was born on March 26, 1975, in São Lourenço, Minas Gerais. My musical journey started when I was 10, learning acoustic guitar from my father. The next year, I took lessons with a teacher called “Bira,” and by 12, I had formed my first rock band. Spoiler alert: it wasn’t great!
When I was 14, everything changed after I saw guitarist Victor Lobo play classical music. I realized there was a whole world of music I hadn’t explored. Determined to learn, I started lessons with him, even though my family couldn’t afford it. Thanks to Victor’s generosity, I kept going, spending countless hours practicing classical guitar, drinking too much coffee, and listening to amazing LPs.
When I was 17, I won a classical guitar contest in São Paulo, organized by the renowned Henrique Pinto. I played Bach’s Chacona in D Minor, Villa-Lobos Study 7, and Fernando Sor's Introduction and Variations on a Theme by Mozart, Op. 9. Mr. Henrique Pinto introduced me to his ex-wife, Angela Muner, who helped me improve by teaching me how to shape my sound with artificial nails, which was a lifesaver for my fragile nails. It was 1992, and I lived in a small town in Minas Gerais, Brazil, where information was hard to find before the internet.
As I learned more about the lives of classical guitarists in Brazil, I realized I wanted something more creative than just teaching. I started arranging, recording, and producing, even though I didn’t know where to begin. That’s when I met Marco Elizeo in Três Pontas. He enjoyed my playing, and we began performing together.
One day, by chance, Marco left a Roland JV1000 at my house. That sequencer changed everything and opened the door to music production for me. After that, I jumped into album production, using Cakewalk and a QuadraSynth Plus Piano in 1995. Compared to today’s music technology, those days feel like ancient times. Eventually, I saved up to buy an EMU ESI-32 sampler and collected AKAI discs one by one, with each purchase feeling like a small victory.
This was the beginning of my passion for sampling technology. Over the years, I improved my skills in creating "mock-ups" and eventually worked with companies and people around the world, such as Peter Siedlaczek, Chris Hein, Yuval Shrem, Paul Thomson (Spitfire Audio), FXpansion (BFD), and many others.
Later, I partnered with two major London publishers, EMI Production Music and Cavendish Music. For about seven years, I wrote orchestral pieces, many of which were recorded in Budapest, Hungary. That was truly a dream come true.
Today, I wear many hats: producer, arranger, composer, mixer, and guitar player. My work spans film/tv orchestral music, song string arrangements, and beyond.
Although I enjoy working with technology, music arranging, and creation, the classical guitar never left me alone! Not a day in two decades went by that I didn’t think, “I must come back to playing classical guitar.”
Now, in 2027, things have come full circle, and I feel ready to return to playing classical guitar. Maybe it’s better this way. I have more experience now, and life has taught me a lot.
I’ve just launched my new YouTube channel, where I’ll play and talk about my passion—classical guitar.
Hope to see you there!