Sons de Carrilhões is one of João Pernambuco’s most emblematic works, a true sound poem for the guitar. From the very first notes, the music evokes the distant chime of bells, whose resonances seem to float in the warm air of a drowsy Brazilian town. The guitar becomes both voice and carillon, alternating between delicacy and rhythmic fervor. Beneath an apparent melodic simplicity lies a subtle craftsmanship, where the bass lines support a luminous, nostalgic song. The piece moves between contemplation and an inner dance, blending popular warmth with refined expressiveness. Through Sons de Carrilhões, João Pernambuco transforms an everyday sonic memory into an intimate musical meditation, imbued with poetry, tenderness, and deep humanity.

Born in 1883 in the sertão of Pernambuco, João Pernambuco, whose real name was João Teixeira Guimarães, grew up in poverty amid the harsh silence of Brazil’s Northeast. Largely self-taught, he learned to master the guitar by listening, observing, and imitating, gradually forging a deeply personal musical language. As a young man, he left his native region for Rio de Janeiro, where urban life and choro music shaped his imagination. His music unites popular simplicity with refined expressive depth, allowing the guitar to sing with a new voice. Works such as Sons de Carrilhões and Graúna bear witness to this sound poetry. Admired by Heitor Villa-Lobos and other musicians, João Pernambuco left a lasting imprint on Brazilian guitar music. Yet despite his genius, his life remained precarious and discreet; he died in Rio de Janeiro in 1947, leaving behind an essential body of work that is humble and profoundly human.

Along his university studies (DEA in musicology, University of Paris IV-Sorbonne), Frédéric Cellier was awarded three first prizes and a development prize at the CNR of Nice and won first prize at the International Competition of Musical Execution - soloist category – of Stresa (Italy).

He is the laureate of the Fondation de France and the Yehudi Menuhin Foundation and accredited teacher at the CNR of Nice, the CNR of Marseille, and at the CRR Olivier Messiaen of Avignon (France).

Frédéric Cellier is the interpreter of Francis Poulenc’s Sonata for clarinet Bb and piano with Jean-Michel Damase, Jean Françaix or Gabriel Tacchino, as well as his own arrangements for clarinet and harp of Erik Satie's Gymnopédies and Gnossiennes with the great French harpist Elizabeth Fontan-Binoche, and for clarinet, piano, and string orchestra of George Gershwin's Rhapsody in blue for Wynton Marsalis or under the baton of Adrian Gershwin, grandson of the composer.

Founder and artistic director of STRADIVARIUS Editions, he is the author of light music pieces played around the world and a considerable number of arrangements of all styles and for all instruments, acclaimed by many personalities in the music world, including Michèle Auric, Jean Françaix, Adrian Gershwin, Wynton Marsalis, Yehudi Menuhin, Madeleine Milhaud, Manuel Rosenthal, Gabriel Tacchino, and Ornella Volta.

"Frédéric Cellier has produced a number of adaptations of Georges Auric's works with such talent and precision that I consider them a natural addition to his chamber music catalogue."
Michèle AURIC - Georges Auric's widow

"To Frédéric Cellier, excellent musician and tireless arranger."
Jean FRANÇAIX - Composer and pianist

"Arranging a musical work is always a delicate and risky exercise, because it requires both modifying it so that it can be played by the desired instruments and preserving its very essence. But that is exactly what Frédéric Cellier has done, preserving the nuances, subtleties and soul of the original works while breathing new life into them.
His arrangements give all the musicians the chance to perform these compositions specially revisited for their instrument, and make music lovers rediscover them in a new light."
Adrian GERSHWIN - George Gershwin’s grandson

"Congratulations for your beautiful new orchestration and rendition of Gershwin’s Rhapsody in blue."
Wynton MARSALIS - Trumpet player, composer, bandleader, general and artistic director of Jazz at Lincoln Center, New York

"It is outstanding that Frédéric Cellier has managed to transpose Saxophone Marmalade from the saxophone to the clarinet. I thank him for it and wish its great and deserved success. "
Manuel ROSENTHAL - Conductor, composer and Maurice Ravel’s pupil

"I am very happy to tell you how much I appreciated your transcription of the Capriccio, based on Francis Poulenc's Le Bal Masqué. It perfectly reflects the spirit and verve of the score for two pianos that I had the opportunity to play and record with Jacques Février, and it was a great pleasure for me to premiere it in Montpellier."
Gabriel TACCHINO - Pianist, Francis Poulenc’s specialist

"I must tell you that I really like your transcriptions and that I think the tone of the instruments you have chosen suits perfectly our beloved composer."
Ornella VOLTA - Musicologist, president of the Erik Satie’s Foundation