From 15 to 19 July 2026, 350 angelical voices gathered for South East Regional Congress of Pueri Cantores Brazil, in the city of Pratápolis, Minas Gerais. Each choir performed in three evening concerts, to sing on Saturday 18th altogether in the Solemn Mass celebrated by D. José Lanza, bishop of the diocese of Guaxupé. In an extraordinary ambiance of friendship and joy, they also visited some waterfalls and lakes in this tropical and sunny land, a wonderful symbiosis of sacred spiritual moments and relaxed, fraternal conviviality.
Our homage to the great Master, Heitor Combat, who left us in 2011 at the age of 98, and whose one of his students is the founder of the host Choir, one of the newest in our Federation.
Image: Board of choir directors of Brazil (the other half joined online)
HEITOR COMBAT – 1912-2011
He was one of the most distinguished Conductor in the Brazilian Pueri Cantores Federation. A Master in Letters, Music, Composition, Gregorian Chant, as well as French, Latin, Portuguese teacher at the “Fratres Maristae Scholis”, founded by D. Champagnat. In 1971 he moved to Cássia, south of Minas Gerais, Brazil, and one year later he founded the “Pequenos Cantores de Cássia”, a boy’s choir to be integrated to the Brazilian Pueri Cantores in no time. He was also President of the Pueri Cantores Brazil from 1991 to 1993. He dedicated himself totally to the formation of children and teenagers, expanding his activities far away of his hometown. The last Brazilian Congress was held in Pratápolis, which choir was founded by one of Master Heitor’s former students. He died in 2011 at the age of 98, surrounded by thousands of actual and former heartbroken singers, choir directors, and a chamber orchestra he had put up.
