Raul Gomes Serrão

Abstract:
[Funchal, Madeira 21/05/1934 – Funchal, Madeira 29/12/2014]
Musician, military and teacher, Raul Gomes Serrão joined the Banda Militar da Madeira; was regent of the Filarmónica União Calhetense and Filarmónica do Faial; and professor in the Conservatory – School of Arts of Madeira. Raul Gomes Serrão also participated in the founding of the Banda Paroquial de São Lourenço.

Biography:
Raul Gomes Serrão was natural from Santo António, where he was born on May 21, 1934.
Parallel to his activity as a musician at the age of seventeen, Raul Gomes Serrão has kept the profession of carpenter.
In 1951 he joined the Banda Distrital do Funchal where he began his technical training in music. And 22 of June of 1952 Raul Gomes Serrão left to play with the harmony by the first time.
On April 2, 1955, with twenty years, he incorporated the army.
The accomplishment of military service allowed him to join the Banda Militar da Madeira and this placement developed his career as a military and musician. In 1956 competed in cable-musician and the following year to furriel.
Simultaneously with the career in the Banda Militar da Madeira, he played at the civil harmonies, as a guest musician. To 1958, with the patent of Sergeant, directed Filarmónica União Calhetense; between 1962 and 1965 the Banda Nova da Ribeira Brava; and between 1965 and 1968 Filarmónica do Faial.
In 1972 the musician accepted the challenge proposed by the priest António Joaquim Figueira Pestana Martinho, to take the artistic responsibility for the co-founding of the Banda Paroquial de São Lourenço da Camacha. The musical group was founded on August 10, 1973 and had Raul Gomes Serrão as first repeater and conductor. However, the musician abandoned this task because of his military roommate in Luanda.
Raul Gomes Serrão left for Angola on July 2, 1973, where was highlighted until 1975 as deputy chief in the local military harmony. When leaving for the overseas departed not only the regency of the Banda Paroquial da Camacha, but, also, the regency of the Municipal Banda de Câmara de Lobos and the Banda de Música da Polícia de Segurança Pública.
In return for Madeira in 1975, took over the regency of the Banda Municipal de Câmara de Lobos, where it remained until 1980, proceeded on July 13, 1980 by José António Faria. A performance that was recorded by the regional press in the edition of December 7, 1976 in the Diário de Notícias: “Integrated in the celebrations of its 104th anniversary, the Banda Municipal de Câmara de Lobos will give a public concert today Sunday , at 18:30 hours, in the kiosk of Largo da República, in this city, under the regency of the gentleman Raul Gomes Serrão “.
At the same time Raul Gomes Serrão directed the Orquestra de Câmara da Madeira and was deputy chief of the Banda Militar da Madeira.
Between 1991 and 1994 was regent of the Banda Municipal do Funchal and professor of the Conservatory – School of Arts of Madeira.
About his work, Raul Gomes Serrão composed several musical pieces, namely marches for the birthdays of the harmonies he directed.

Authors:
Freitas, Manuel Pedro (2011). “Notas [Musicais] Soltas Contributo para a história da música na Madeira – Raul Gomes Serrão”. In Girão – Revista de Temas Culturais do Concelho de Câmara de Lobos, Nº 6. Câmara de Lobos: Câmara Municipal.

Update:
Ventura, Ana (2011). “SERRÃO, Raul Gomes”. In Dicionário Online de Músicos na Madeira. Funchal: Divisão de Investigação e Documentação, Gabinete Coordenador de Educação Artística, atualizado em 15/11/2011.

Bibliography:
Freitas, M. P. (2011). “Notas [Musicais] Soltas Contributo para a história da música na Madeira – Raul Gomes Serrão”. In Girão – Revista de Temas Culturais do Concelho de Câmara de Lobos, Nº 6. Câmara de Lobos: Câmara Municipal, p. 152.
Paróquia da Camacha (2010). “Banda Paroquial de São Lourenço”. Movimentos – Sector Recreativo. Acedido em 15/11/2011: http://www.paroquiadacamacha.com/web/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=26&Itemid=40.