Haziel Santos

Haziel Santos is a Brazilian cellist and educator currently holding a teaching assistant and Doctor of Musical Arts, student at the University of Iowa, where he studies under Dr. Jamie Clark. Haziel began his cello studies at the age of 10 with his father, João Cândido, and went on to earn his Bachelor of Music in Cello Performance from the Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Norte (UFRN). He recently completed his Master of Music in Cello Performance at Central Michigan University with Dr. James Fiste, graduating with high distinction and recognition for his dedication and artistry

Throughout his early career, he traveled extensively across Brazil, performing and teaching as part of national music programs and outreach initiatives. Haziel has performed in Italy, Germany, France, and Mexico. In 2019, he toured Mexico with the Orchestra of the Americas under the direction of Carlos Miguel Prieto and Paolo Bortolameolli, performing in over 12 cities and engaging in community workshops designed to share artistic experiences and foster cultural exchange. In 2015, he also toured Germany with the UFRN Symphony Orchestra, performing at the Karlsruhe Music University.

Haziel is a recipient of numerous awards, including First Prize at the BDMG Young Musicians Competition (2013), Young Soloist of UFRN (2017), and a semifinalist position in the prestigious Prelúdio television competition (2017). He has appeared as a soloist with the Orquestra Sesiminas, Orquestra Sinfônica de Betim, and the UFRN Symphony Orchestra.

He has taken masterclasses with internationally renowned cellists and musicians such as Tim Gill, Austin Huntington, Kurt Baldwin, Matias de Oliveira Pinto, Jennifer Stumm, Giovanni Gnocchi, Martin Osten, Romain Garioud, Elise Pittenger, Thiago Lucion, Márcio Carneiro, Antonio Meneses, and Bartolomew LaFollette.

As both a performer and educator, Haziel Cândido is passionate about building musical connections through live performance and collaborative learning, always seeking to inspire others through the expressive power of the cello.