Southern University’s Cibele Moura wins piano competition
Cibele Moura believed she had a strong chance to be a third-place finisher at the Alcorn State University's National Piano Competition held recently in Natchez, Miss.
She had prepared for the event and was sure enough of her skills. But, she had never been in a piano competition, ever, not in high and not since coming to Southern University in the fall of 2013.
Instead, the Southern University piano major won 1st prize at the event as the judges were impressed with Moura's artistry.
"When they announced the third place, I thought then that I had already loss," she said, only to be stunned by being named the first-prize winner.
"This is great and a great feeling that I won for our music department here and Southern University," Moura said.
The 21-year-old native of São Paolo, Brazil, said she was not nervous during her competition where she played music from Bach, Beethoven and Brazilian composer Camargo Guarnieri.
Moura is a transfer student from the State University of São Paulo, one of the top music schools in Brazil.Cibele came to SU to join the piano studio of Professor Joao Paulo Casarotti. She is one of four other Brazilian students that are enrolled in SU's piano program.
"I am extremely proud and happy of this award received by Cibele Moura, for her dedication and perseverance," Casarotti said. "This young Brazilian talent competed against experienced pianists, and she was able to bring this important award to our studio at SU."