Rodrigo Camargo is a Brazilian composer. His music has been played by groups across Brazil and the U.S. in venues such as Sala Cecilia Meireles and Carnegie Hall. Recent highlights include his opera Emily Somebody, awarded in the American Prize, his EPs 5 Poemas de Fernando Pessoa and Two Duos, and the opera Lira dos Enganos. He is a recipient of the National Opera Association’s Dominick Argento Fellowship for Opera Composition, and composition Teaching Artist with the Lyric Opera and a Graduate Assistant for Broadcast Curation & Coordination with 91.9 Classical KC. He is currently pursuing his DMA at the University of Missouri–Kansas City.
News and Highlights
January 14, 2026
I’m super excited to be working with Classical KC in a new show coming soon! We’ll be broadcasting performances from students, alumni and ensembles from the UMKC Conservatory. Stay tuned!
November 14, 2025
Opening night and premiere of “Refrain in Three Parts”, a multidisciplinary collaboration with artist Danqi Cai and UMKC’s Sound x Sight project. I wrote the music for Danqi’s installation, which will be on display at Charlotte Street Foundation from November 14th to January 3rd, 2026, part of the Shifting Tongues exhibition.
August 8 and 9, 2025
Premiere of “Lira dos Enganos”, a chamber opera in Portuguese. It was commissioned and produced by FELINI – Festival Lírico de Niterói. It was amazing! Check out the highlights on YouTube!
May 18th, 2025
Premiere of “A Song For All”, a 15-minute micro opera for kids. It was commissioned by No Divide KC in partnership with the Lyric Opera of Kansas City. Read more here.
May 16th, 2025
Premiere of Regulation, a dance piece choreographed by AJ Fink. It features my piece Tocatinha as the musical score. It was amazing!
April 9th, 2025
Premiere of There Where I’m Not, for string quartet. The piece was written for and performed by the UMKC Graduate Fellowship String Quartet, as a product of my residency with the group in 2024-25.
April 2nd, 2025
I’m happy to have been selected as a fellow composer for No Divide KC/Kansas City Lyric Opera initiative “Come As You Are”. I’ll be paired with a librettist to work and premiere a new micro opera in May 18th at Kansas City! Read more here: https://www.nodividekc.org/come-as-you-are
August 30th, 2024
SILVER MEDAL!
My opera Emily Somebody was awarded 2nd Prize in the American Prize – Opera division (University/College)! Read the full announcement here: https://theamericanprize.blogspot.com/2024/08/national-winners-composers.html
April 15th, 2024
I’m thrilled to announce that I’ve been awarded NOA’s Dominick Argento Fellowship for Opera Composition! This award will allow me to continue my doctoral studies in the US. You can read more about it on their website: https://www.noa.org/initiatives/argento/2024-argento-fellowship-winners.html
March 27th, 2024
My opera Emily Somebody is a finalist in The American Prize in the Opera Division (University/College division)!
Read the announcement here: https://theamericanprize.blogspot.com/2024/03/national-finalists-composers.html
December 16th, 2023
Premiere of my violin concerto – called Pocket Concerto, for violin and orchestra – at the 25th edition of the Biennial of Brazilian Contemporary Music, at Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. The concert was performed by the amazing violinist and dear friend Tomaz Soares, to whom the piece is dedicated. Tomaz was accompanied by the Orquestra Sinfônica de Barra Mansa, conducted by the great Anderson Alves. It was a memorable night!
May 2nd, 2023
Premiere of my chamber opera Emily Somebody at LSU School of Music Recital Hall. The opera tells the story of the friendship between the American poet Emily Dickinson and the man who would become her first editor, Mr. Thomas Higginson. The libretto was written by me, based on letters and poems of Emily Dickinson. With Sierra Shoemaker as Emily Dickinson and Kyle Melton as Mr. Thomas Higginson. Directed by Sydney Sorbet and conducted by Emily Frederick. With Meghan Rhoades (piano), Chris Ludwig (flute), Espen Lilleslatten (violin) and Katie DeLaMare (cello).
It was a beautiful night!
Rodrigo Camargo, composer 