Antônio Francisco Braga

Antônio Francisco Braga (April 15, 1868 – March 14, 1945) was a Brazilian music composer. Antônio Francisco Braga was born in Rio de Janeiro, and studied with Luiz António de Moura and Carlos de Mesquita. In 1886, he founded the Sociedade de Concertos Populares. As the Brazilian Republic was declared in 1889, his composition Hino à bandeira was adopted as the Brazilian national anthem. Starting in 1890 Antônio Francisco Braga studied at the Conservatoire in Paris with Jules Massenet. After that he spent time both in Germany and in Italy and then returned to Brazil in 1900. Upon his return to Brazil, Antônio Francisco Braga taught at the Instituto Nacional de Música and was the conductor of the Sociedade de Concertos Sinfonicos between 1908 and 1933. One of his pupils was Brazilian pianist and composer Cacilda Borges Barbosa. Antônio Francisco Braga composed three operas and produced orchestral pieces, chamber music, piano pieces and many songs.