Francisca Edwiges Neves Gonzaga (October 17, 1847 Rio de Janeiro - February 28, 1935 Rio de Janeiro) was a Brazilian composer, pianist and conductor. Chiquinha Gonzaga was born in Rio de Janeiro, from a mulatto mother and a wealthy white father– after she was born her father became Marshal. She fought for the end of slavery in Brazil. Gonzaga received an education that would ordinarily have lead her to be a “sinhazinha”, a respectful officer's daughter. She learned how to read, write, and do math, but also music, especially how to play the piano, a distinctive mark of a real lady.

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