Role

:

Composer

Birth

:

1971

 

João Madureira is a Portuguese composer who was born on May 22, 1971, in Lisbon, Portugal. He grew up in a family of musicians, with his father being a composer and his mother a pianist. This musical environment had a significant impact on Madureira's early life, and he began studying music at a young age. Madureira's formal music education began at the National Conservatory of Lisbon, where he studied composition with António Pinho Vargas. He later continued his studies at the Escola Superior de Música de Lisboa, where he earned a degree in composition. During his time at the Escola Superior de Música de Lisboa, Madureira also studied with Emmanuel Nunes, a renowned Portuguese composer. Madureira's early works were heavily influenced by the music of his father, as well as by the works of other Portuguese composers such as Fernando Lopes-Graça and Joly Braga Santos. However, as he continued to develop as a composer, Madureira began to incorporate a wider range of influences into his music, including jazz, rock, and electronic music. One of Madureira's early works, "Cinco Canções de Amor," was written for voice and piano and premiered in 1995. This work demonstrated Madureira's early interest in incorporating elements of jazz into his music, with its use of syncopated rhythms and improvisation. In 1997, Madureira was awarded a scholarship from the Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation, which allowed him to study composition at the Royal Academy of Music in London. During his time in London, Madureira was exposed to a wide range of musical styles and began to incorporate elements of electronic music into his compositions. One of Madureira's most significant works is his "Concerto for Piano and Orchestra," which was premiered in 2003. This work was commissioned by the Gulbenkian Orchestra and features a solo piano part that is virtuosic and highly expressive. The concerto is notable for its use of unconventional harmonies and rhythms, as well as its incorporation of electronic sounds. Madureira's music has been performed by a wide range of ensembles and orchestras, including the Gulbenkian Orchestra, the Portuguese Symphony Orchestra, and the London Sinfonietta. He has also collaborated with a number of other artists, including the choreographer Rui Horta and the visual artist João Onofre. In addition to his work as a composer, Madureira is also a professor of composition at the Escola Superior de Música de Lisboa. He has been recognized for his contributions to Portuguese music with a number of awards, including the Prémio Jovens Músicos and the Prémio SPA/Antena 2. Madureira's music is characterized by its eclectic style, which incorporates elements of jazz, rock, and electronic music into a classical framework. His works are often highly expressive and feature unconventional harmonies and rhythms. Despite his relatively young age, Madureira has already established himself as one of Portugal's most important contemporary composers, and his music continues to be performed and celebrated around the world.

More....