Elsen Portugal

Elsen Portugal is a pianist, music director, and missionary. He was born in Brazil in 1963, received his B.M. in Piano Pedagogy from East Texas Baptist University and his M.M. in Piano Performance from the University of Central Arkansas. He has a PhD in Worship and Mission majoring on applied Ethnomusicology/Ethnodoxology from B. H. Carroll Theological Seminary. Elsen and his family have served as missionaries in Germany for 11 years and worked on short-term projects in other countries. Since 2014, he and his wife have spent more than 3 years in Brazil establishing partnerships for Ethnoarts projects among indigenous ethnic groups and developing the field of Ethnodoxology in Brazil. His research centered on the authenticity of the present-day fusion music genres used by the Xerente people of central Brazil. He now lives in Hot Springs, AR where he is involved in musical (particularly collaborative piano) activities and academic teaching. For more details, see Elsen’s personal website.