June 26th to July 5th
Alexander Somov was born in Sofia, where he studied at the National School of Music with Stefan Rounevsky. He made his concert debut at the age of 15, performing in Bulgaria and Germany. Winner of several national competitions, he has also performed in Greece, Italy, Serbia, and Israel.
He pursued his studies at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama in London, where, in 1998, he became the first musician from Eastern Europe to receive the Gold Medal. He has performed as a soloist with numerous international orchestras and, in 2006, assumed the position of principal cellist (violoncelle super soloiste) of the Strasbourg Philharmonic Orchestra. He was principal cellist of the Northern Symphony between 2000 and 2006.
Since 2002, he has been a regular guest conductor with the London Philharmonic, the London Symphony Orchestra, the Philharmonia Orchestra, the Scottish Chamber Orchestra, as well as the Halle Orchestra and the English Chamber Orchestra.
A dedicated educator, since 2006 he has been a professor at the Conservatory and the Académie Supérieure of Strasbourg, and is also regularly invited to international academies such as Flaine, Musicalta, Les Stages Boîte à Musique (France) and the Ringamala Festival (Sweden), among others.
Born in Palermo in 1982, Giuseppe Andaloro is one of the most acclaimed Italian pianists of his generation. Winner of several prestigious international competitions—including the Ferruccio Busoni (Bolzano), London World, Sendai, Hong Kong and Porto—he was awarded the Medal of Artistic Merit by the Italian Ministry of Culture in 2005.
He has performed in some of the world's most important concert halls, including La Scala and Sala Verdi in Milan, Teatro San Carlo in Naples, the Mozarteum Salzburg, Konzerthaus Berlin, Salle Gaveau in Paris, the Royal Festival Hall in London, Sumida Triphony Hall in Tokyo, the Esplanade in Singapore, and the Concert Hall in Hong Kong. He has also participated in internationally renowned festivals such as the Salzburg Festival, the Ruhr Piano Festival, the Spoleto Festival dei Due Mondi, the George Enescu Festival, the Ravello Festival, and the Beirut Al Bustan.
As a soloist, she has collaborated with orchestras such as the London Philharmonic, the NHK Symphony Orchestra (Tokyo), the Philharmonische Camerata Berlin, the Accademia Nazionale di Santa Cecilia, and the Hong Kong Philharmonic, under the direction of conductors such as Vladimir Ashkenazy, Gianandrea Noseda, and Andrew Parrott. In the field of chamber music, she has shared the stage with artists such as Sarah Chang, Giovanni Sollima, Anna Tifu, Sergej Krylov, and John Malkovich.
In addition to a vast solo repertoire, he is also known for his transcriptions of works such as Stravinsky's The Rite of Spring and Ravel's La Valse. He also engages in teaching and has several recordings released by labels such as Sony, Warner, Naxos, BAM and Fontec.
A violinist trained at the “L. D'Annunzio” Conservatory in Pescara, she completed her studies with distinction under the guidance of F. Mezzena and furthered her training at the “W. Stauffer” Academy in Cremona with Salvatore Accardo, also participating in masterclasses with F. Manara and G. Carmignola.
Throughout her career, she has won awards in numerous national and international competitions, most notably the First Prize at the Norcia International Festival and the Rovere d'Oro Competition. She regularly collaborates with symphony, opera, chamber music, and baroque orchestras, having been a member of ensembles such as the EUYO, the Italian Chamber Orchestra, the Orchestra Sinfonica Abruzzese, and the Orchestra Mozart, conducted by Claudio Abbado.
Her concert activity has taken her to perform in several countries in Europe, the Middle East, South America and Japan. She has performed as a soloist with various Italian orchestras and represented the Pescara Conservatory in a piano duo performance during Martha Argerich's visit. She also participated in a live European broadcast on Radio 3, performing Michelangelo Lupone's Astral Cycle Part II.
He was born in Cuamba on March 25, 1963, to parents from Quelimane, and moved to Quelimane as a baby, where he lived for much of his adolescence. There he acquired the "Machuabo" identity, which shaped his personality and earned him the title of Honorary Citizen of Quelimane in 2022.
Throughout his career, he has shared the stage with major names in international music and performed in important venues around the world, most notably the Coliseu dos Recreios in Lisbon, where in 2014 he was the first Mozambican to sell out his own show. He has also performed in iconic venues in Brazil and Europe.
His music combines Mozambican tradition and contemporary elements, creating an energetic and poetic sound with messages of hope and transformation. This connection to poetry led him to publish the book "The Tailor and the Art of Sewing Love" in 2022.
In parallel, he is a television presenter on tourism, culture and the arts, and a social activist, having been the first UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador in Mozambique. He has defended environmental causes since 1995 and actively participates in civic and human rights processes.
He was the first Mozambican to enter Berklee College of Music and has contributed to other musicians gaining access to the institution. He has received numerous national and international awards and is one of the most awarded artists at the Ngoma Festival.
Philipp Frings
Born in 2004 into a family of musicians, under the guidance of his father he began studying the clarinet at the age of four years. He attended the young talent program at the Robert Schumann Hochschule Düsseldorf, in the class of Martin Bewersdorff, and is currently pursuing his studies at the Universität der Künste Berlin, in the class of Prof. François Benda.
Awarded in numerous national and international competitions, he was distinguished, among others, with the gold medal at the Concours Luxembourgeois pour Jeunes Solistes, as well as in competitions such as Jugend musiziert, Beethoven Bonnensis and the International Mozart Competition Vienna.
He regularly performs as a soloist and in chamber music, having collaborated with orchestral ensembles and participated in prestigious academies. His artistic career has been marked by contact with internationally renowned musicians, establishing himself as one of the most promising young clarinetists of his generation.
Jeongro Park is a South Korean pianist born in Busan who began his musical career at an early age and made his debut as a soloist with the Seoul Philharmonic Orchestra at the age of twelve. Throughout his career, he has received numerous international awards, including several first prizes in prestigious piano competitions across Europe, establishing himself as one of the most distinguished pianists of his generation.
Maintaining an intensive artistic career, he performs more than 50 concerts each year as a soloist, chamber musician, and Lied accompanist, appearing throughout Europe and South Korea in collaboration with renowned orchestras, festivals, and musicians. He is also recognised for his talent as a piano arranger, with works premiered at the Rhein-Ruhr Piano Festival and published by Schott.
He has served as a jury member at international piano competitions, worked as a vocal coach and répétiteur, and collaborated in masterclasses with leading musicians.
Park studied at Hanyang University in Seoul before completing advanced studies in piano and Lied accompaniment at the Universities of Music in Cologne and Hanover, Germany. He currently teaches at the music universities in Cologne and Düsseldorf, combining his academic work with an active international career as a concert pianist.
Adriana Gonçalves, originally from Viana do Castelo, began studying cello in 2011 with Professor Iminas Kucinskas, with whom she worked until 2019. That year, she entered the Lisbon Higher School of Music, in the class of Professor Levon Mouradian, completing her Bachelor's degree in Performance in 2023.
In 2021, he founded Trio ARO with clarinetist Diogo Cocharra and pianist Miguel Perdigão. The group has performed in various venues in Portugal, Spain, Italy, and Poland, standing out for national and world premieres, as well as a live recording for Antena 2 and award-winning participation in competitions.
Throughout her career, Adriana has interacted with renowned musicians such as Evan Rogister, Thomas Sanderling, Martin Fröst, and Raúl da Costa. She is a member of or has collaborated with several orchestras, including the Alto Minho Orchestra, the Angra do Heroísmo Sinfonietta, the Gulbenkian Internship Orchestra, the Portuguese Chamber Orchestra, the Sintra Municipal Orchestra, the Lisbon Film Orchestra, and the Mediterranean Youth Orchestra.
In 2022, she made her debut as a soloist with the Repertory Orchestra of the Lisbon Higher School of Music, under the direction of Jean-Marc Burfin. In 2024, she toured China with the Atlantic Coast Orchestra, performing a total of 22 concerts.
She is currently pursuing a Master's degree in Music Education and teaches at the Cascais Conservatory, also collaborating with the Cascais and Oeiras Chamber Orchestra.
Founded in 2020, the AMADEUS TRIO brings together three internationally renowned musicians, united by a deep passion for chamber music and a strong connection to the tradition of this repertoire. The ensemble was born from the desire to create a common artistic identity and a close and authentic relationship with the audience.
Alongside their chamber music activities, its members have developed distinguished careers as soloists, having collaborated with prestigious orchestras such as the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra (London), the Vienna Symphony Orchestra, and the Vienna Chamber Orchestra. They have performed in some of the world's most important concert halls, including Carnegie Hall (New York), Wigmore Hall (London), Suntory Hall (Tokyo), Tonhalle (Zurich), as well as the Great Hall of the Vienna Konzerthaus and the Golden Hall of the Vienna Musikverein.
The trio's intense concert activity has taken them to leading international stages, with performances in various cities in Europe and Asia, including Austria, China, Slovenia, Croatia, Hungary, Italy and Switzerland.
Since their debut at the Vienna Konzerthaus, to a sold-out audience and enthusiastic applause, the AMADEUS TRIO has established itself with a consistent artistic presence, marked by captivating performances and a particularly close relationship with its audience.
Gonçalo Pescada was born in Faro on August 10, 1979. He holds a PhD with distinction and honors in Music and Musicology, specializing in Performance, from the University of Évora (2014). He also completed a degree in Music – Performance from the Higher School of Applied Arts of Castelo Branco. He also attended the Complementary Accordion Course at the Vitorino Matono Musical Institute in Lisbon and obtained his Professional Qualification in Service from the Open University.
Throughout his career, he has been distinguished with several awards, including 1st Prize at the National Accordion Competition (Alcobaça, 1995), 1st Prize at the “Città di Montese” International Competition (Italy, 2004) and 1st Prize at the Estoril Interpretation Competition (2006).
He has performed as a soloist with various orchestras, premiering and performing several works in their first performance in Portugal. He has also been invited to participate in prestigious festivals in countries such as Spain, France, the United Kingdom, Germany, Italy, and Bulgaria.
He has made recordings for radio and television, notably for Antena 2, RTP, and the Bulgarian National Radio and Television. His discography includes several solo CDs, chamber music, and orchestral pieces, and some composers have dedicated new works to him.
Currently, he is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Music at the University of Évora and an integrated researcher at CESEM – Centre for Music Studies.
Franco-Hungarian pianist Suzana Bartal, originally from Timisoara, began her studies in her hometown and continued her training in France, at the Conservatoire National Supérieur de Musique de Paris and Lyon, completing her Doctorate in Musical Arts at the Yale School of Music (USA).
Winner of the New York Concert Artists Concerto Competition in 2013, she has performed in prestigious venues and festivals such as the Philharmonie de Paris, the Concertgebouw in Amsterdam, the Beethoven-Haus in Bonn, and the Easter Festival in Aix-en-Provence.
He has collaborated with orchestras such as the Orchestre Philharmonique de Radio France, the Orchestre National de Auvergne, and the Madeira Classical Orchestra, under the direction of conductors such as Marc Minkowski and Marzena Diakun.
Her recordings for the labels Naïve, Erato/Warner and Hungaroton have received widespread acclaim, most notably the complete recording of Liszt's Années de pèlerinage and the album dedicated to the chamber music of Eric Tanguy, which won the Diapason d'Or de l'Année award. Since 2020, she has been the artistic director of the “Piano à Riom” Festival and, since 2024, a piano professor at the École Normale de Musique de Paris.
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He was born in Sofia, Bulgaria. He graduated from the prestigious L. Pipkov National Music School with a gold medal, awarded for the excellent results obtained during his studies. He graduated from the Bulgarian National Academy as a violinist and conductor, returning to the L. Pipkov National Music School as the youngest violin teacher to work at that institution. He has resided in Portugal since 1989. As a violinist and conductor, Nicolay Lalov has recorded for Bulgarian National Radio and Portuguese Radio Broadcasting. He has conducted and played in orchestras in several European countries and the USA. He was awarded the Medal of Cultural Merit (Oeiras 2003) and the Diploma from the Bulgarian Ministries of Foreign Affairs and Culture (2003 and 2017). In 2004, he was awarded the title of Corresponding Academician of the Valencia Academy of Music (Spain). In 2009, he was named "Professional of the Year" by the Rotary Club of Cascais-Portugal. In the same year he received "The Silver Baton" from the Cascais City Council, in recognition of his contribution to art and culture, and was awarded the title of Honorary Member of the Rotary Club of Oeiras. He is the Artistic Director and Principal Conductor of the Cascais and Oeiras Chamber Orchestra and the Cascais Symphony Orchestra.
Founded in 2018 as part of Cascais' "European Youth Capital" initiative, the Cascais Youth Orchestra (OJC) has established itself as a structuring project for musical training and artistic excellence in the municipality. Through partnerships with the Cascais Music Conservatory, the Cascais and Oeiras Chamber Orchestra, the Frei Gonçalo de Azevedo Secondary School, and the local council, the OJC provides young performers with a complete orchestral experience.
Throughout its history, the orchestra has distinguished itself through its strong connection to the community and its heritage. Among its most emblematic moments are the concerts held in vaccination centers during the Covid-19 pandemic, a gesture of closeness that brought hope to healthcare professionals and citizens. Furthermore, the OJC has fostered cultural dialogue through international collaborations, such as the exchange with the Chiquinha Gonzaga Youth Symphony Orchestra, and is a regular presence at local events such as the Education Gala at the Estoril Casino.
Currently, the OJC returns to the EntreQuintas Festival, reaffirming its authenticity and the vital role of youth as a driving force in culture. The project continues to transform diverse spaces—from auditoriums to historic gardens—into stages for vibrant sound experiences, showcasing the creative energy and talent of its young musicians.
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Inês Simões began her training at the age of 4, consolidating her studies at the National Superior Academy of Orchestra, the Wales International Academy of Voice, and the Guildhall School of Music and Drama. Possessing a rich and luminous timbre, the Portuguese soprano stands out for her strong connection to contemporary music, having already performed in 27 premieres in various musical genres.
Her artistic evolution towards the spinto soprano register has allowed her to embrace the great Germanic repertoire. Among her recent and future achievements are:
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Interpretations of works by Strauss (Salome and Vier Letzte Lieder) and Wagner (Wesendonck Lieder and Liebestod);
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Premiering at Barbican Hall with Wozzeck de Berg;
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Premiere scheduled for the 2025/2026 season at the prestigious Wiener Musikverein.
A regular collaborator with institutions such as the Gulbenkian Orchestra and the São Carlos National Theatre, Inês also has a significant discography, including projects dedicated to Portuguese lyrical song with the Duo Tágide. Her career is defined by a fervent exploration of 20th-century music and a constant presence on major national and international stages and festivals.
Marina Pacheco possesses "remarkable musicality, unusual security and technical solidity, justifying the applause not so much for her pleasant physical presence, but for her vocal flexibility." (in Público).
Winner of the 26th edition of the "Young Musicians Award" (Portugal) and awarded in several competitions in Europe, Marina regularly performs opera, oratorio, song and contemporary music.
Praised in the international press for her "perfect virtuosity" and "talent as an actress," she has sung on various stages in Europe, as well as in Cape Verde, China, Colombia, Mozambique, and South Africa.
Future projects include concerts in Japan with the Portuguese Orchestra of Guitars and Mandolins, the recording of an album with harpist Ana Aroso and saxophonist Isabel Anjo, as well as the premiere of new projects.
With the three albums “João Arroyo: works for voice and piano”, “Songs of Lemuria” and “Cantiga partindo-se”, he develops his commitment to the dissemination of Portuguese music.
In 2021, she released the album “Schmetterlinge”, funded by NEUSTART KULTUR. Marina received a scholarship from this organization for two consecutive years and also from the GDA Foundation in 2016, 2017 and 2025.
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A graduate of ESMAE (Escola Superior de Música de Artes) in the class of Pedro Burmester, Pedro Lopes consolidated his training in Germany at the Hochschule für Musik Detmold, where he earned a Master's degree in Chamber Music under the guidance of Peter Orth and the Auryn Quartet. His technical and artistic competence has been recognized with several awards, notably the Helena Sá e Costa Prize and the award for Best Accompanist Pianist from the Portuguese Rotary Foundation. Internationally, he won the Auryn Competition in consecutive editions (2017 and 2018).
His performing career includes appearances in the most prestigious national venues, such as Casa da Música, Centro Cultural de Belém, and Fundação Calouste Gulbenkian. Alongside his piano playing, Pedro Lopes demonstrates versatility as a baritone, having been a member of the Casa da Música Choir and the Ensemble Cupertinos, where he collaborated with internationally renowned conductors such as Paul Hillier and Christoph König.
Currently, she dedicates herself to teaching piano and keyboard practice at the Espinho Professional Music School, EMARA, and the A Pauta Academy. She complements her teaching activity with specialized vocal coaching for singers, combining her vast instrumental and vocal experience.