Martinho Lutero Galati de Oliveira (29 September 1953 – 26 March 2020) was a Brazilian conductor, scholar and teacher noted for his work in choral music. Born in Alpercata, Brazil, he developed a career combining practical conducting, institutional leadership and pedagogical writing. Galati was widely respected within Brazil's choral community for his attention to musical gesture, ensemble sound and the organizational aspects of running choirs.

Career and roles

Galati served in a number of prominent positions that linked performance and administration. From 2013 to 2016 he was director of the Coral Paulistano at Theatro Municipal de São Paulo, one of the country's leading civic choirs. In 2018 he was elected president of the Associação Brasileira de Regentes Corais (Brazilian Association of Choral Conductors), a role in which he advocated for professional development, repertoire expansion and stronger institutional support for choral activities.

His practical work included repertoire preparation, concerts and workshops aimed at both amateur and professional ensembles. Colleagues and students have noted his clear conducting technique and his interest in how gesture communicates musical intention as well as how conductors manage and lead groups.

Teaching, writing and influence

Galati combined performance with teaching. He held academic posts in Italy, including at the Free University of Languages and Communication (IULM) and at an institute of musicology in Milan, where he taught conducting and choral practice. He also published on the subject of conducting and leadership; his book Do gesto à gestão: um diálogo sobre maestros e liderança (From Gesture to Management: a Dialogue on Conductors and Leadership) explores the relationship between the physical act of conducting and the organizational roles conductors perform.

  • Director, Coral Paulistano do Theatro Municipal de São Paulo (2013–2016)
  • President, Associação Brasileira de Regentes Corais (elected 2018)
  • Professor and visiting lecturer in Milan and elsewhere

Galati's work is remembered for bridging practical musicianship and administrative insight, encouraging conductors to consider both musical expression and ensemble governance. He contributed to conferences, workshops and publications aimed at strengthening choral culture in Brazil and beyond.

Martinho Lutero Galati died on 26 March 2020 in São Paulo at the age of 66 after contracting COVID-19. His passing prompted tributes from choral organizations and colleagues who praised his teaching, leadership and commitment to choral art.