On stage at the Madalena Auditorium, Terry Costa, artistic director of MiratecArts and founder of the Cordas Festival, presented the MiratecArts Atlante Award to guitarist Marta Pereira da Costa last night.

This special moment took place after the Portuguese Guitar concert, accompanied by João Pita on the Brazilian Seven-String Guitar, with Evandro Meneses on the Viola and Fernando Dalcin on the Mandolin as guest performers.

“We have known each other for several years and it has been wonderful to follow Marta Pereira da Costa’s career, from my time in Canada and now on the island of Pico,” said Terry Costa. “It has been more than a decade of persistence and daring, which is exactly what this award stands for. I am presenting it to Marta not only to show how much I admire her, but also to encourage her to continue doing more.”

In turn, Marta admitted, “you will always be connected to me, for having done my first professional concert with you in 2012.”

The MiratecArts Atlante Award is given by the cultural association, based on the island of Pico, Azores, for the body of work of an artist who follows their passions, without fear of being different.

The Atlante Award, which signifies persistence and boldness in the world of the arts, is the responsibility of MiratecArts artistic director Terry Costa. There is no specific date for the award or any application process for the artists. Recipients include writer Valter Hugo Mãe, filmmaker Regina Pessoa, and multiple Oscar winner Christopher Hampton, all of whom have participated in the MiratecArts program.

The Cordas Festival closes its tenth edition on Saturday, October 11, with an evening dedicated to music, featuring Lu Yanan with the Chinese pi’pa, Maija Kauhanen with the Finnish antele, Wyetta Bontempo with the Indo-Persian sarod, Portugal’s Joana Alegre on guitar, and Mónica Goulart with the viola da terra. www.festivalcordas.com

Photos by Pedro Silva

From MiratecArts Press Release

We thank the Luso-American Education Foundation for supporting PBBI-Fresno State.