Manoel Dias de Oliveira

Manoel Dias de Oliveira (1738-1813) was a Brazilian church composer and organist. Conductor, copyist and organist , he devoted himself to music from 1769 in religious brotherhoods. A legend tells of his precocious talent. On one occasion, Father Francisco da Piedade heard him, still a boy, singing excerpts from a work by Josquin des Prez while he was playing with ants. Impressed, the priest invited him to join the choir at St. Anthony's Cathedral, where he studied music theory, counterpoint , and the organ .