Brazilian violinist Cármelo de los Santos is currently Assistant Professor of violin at the University of New Mexico. He was the first prizewinner of the IV Júlio Cardona International Competition held in Covilhã, Portugal, in 2003. He also received the special prize for the best interpretation of the required Portuguese work. In 2002 Cármelo performed at the prestigious Weill Recital Hall at Carnegie Hall with the ARCO Chamber Orchestra, both as a soloist and conductor, and won the first prize at the Music Teachers National Association Collegiate Artist Competition in Cincinnati, Ohio. He came into prominence in 1993 when he won Brazil’s most prestigious music competition, the VII Eldorado Prize, São Paulo. Since then Carmelo has appeared as soloist and recital player with major orchestras in Brazil and South America. Other prizes include the second prize in the VII Young Artist International Competition (1991), Argentina, and first prize in the I Young Talents of MEC Radio Competition (1996), in Rio de Janeiro. In addition Carmelo has recorded many programs for radio and television in Brazil, and in 1994 he made a CD under the Eldorado Radio label which featured Brazilian and other composers of the twentieth century. He graduated from Rio Grande do Sul Federal University, Brazil, and came to America in 1997 to study in New York at the Manhattan School of Music Carmelo earned a Doctoral degree from the University of Georgia.