Biography

It is in artistic freedom that João Pedro Silva finds his roots and in the saxophone his voice. The taste for diversity and the crossover of aesthetic forms brings on the musical road that the saxophonist has being creating in the last 25 years.

International YAMAHA and D’ADDARIO artist, João Pedro Silva has performed in more than 15 countries, namely Italy, France, Belgium, Holland, Germany, United Kingdom, U.S.A., playing at some important festivals like Festival dei Due Mondi – Spoleto, Lugano Musica Festival, Festival Milano Musica, Mooers Festival, Dias da Música CCB, Jazz London Festival, World Saxophone Congress, Festival de Músicas do Mundo – Sines, among others.

As soloist João Pedro Silva played with the Lisbon Metropolitan Orchestra, Utah University Symphony Orchestra, Ensemble MPMP, Portuguese Northern Orchestra, Accademia Nazionale di Santa Cecilia Choir (Rome), Portuguese Symphonic Band, Lisbon Sinfonietta Orchestra, Portuguese Navy Band, Portuguese Republican Guard Chamber Orchestra, Lisbon Metropolitan Wind Orchestra, Liceu Saxophone Ensemble (Barcelona), Portuguese Double Reed Ensemble, Lisbon Metropolitan Percussion Orchestra, among others.

He is saxophone and chamber music professor at Évora University, Lisbon Metropolitana Professional Music School and Palmela Regional Conservatory of Palmela. He is normally invited to give masterclass, have been invited to Utah University (Salt Lake City), Royal Northern College of Music (Manchester), Trinity Laban Conservatoire of music and dance (London), Guildhall School of Music & Drama (London), Royal Birmingham Conservatoire
(Birmingham), Royal Welsh College of Music & Drama (Cardiff), Conservatoire Douai (France), Conservatori Liceu (Barcelona), Conservatorio Superior de Música «Manuel Castillo» (Sevilha), among others.

Has performed with some of the most important Portuguese orchestras, like Portuguese Symphonic Orchestra, Gulbenkian Orchestra, Lisbon Metropolitan Orchestra, Accademia Nazionale di Santa Cecilia Orchestra, Lisbon Soloists Orchestra, Lisbon Sinfonietta Orchestra, Lisbon Hot Club Big Band, working with conductors like Eric Stearn, Alain Guingal, Wayne Marshall, John Adams, among others.

Has represented Portugal on the XIV, XVII, XVIII and XIX World Saxophone Congress (Ljubljana, Strasbourg, Zagreb, Las Palmas), playing with Artemsax Quartet, BROS Quartet, Duo João Pedro Silva & Pedro Vieira de Almeida, Tenor Saxophone Colletive, fusion OUT and Metropolitana Saxophone Ensemble. In the XVII WSC he was also invited to present a lecture about new music pedagogical approaches to the saxophone learning.

He is the tenor saxophone of the international quartet, BROS quartet, had recording the CD “Pagine”, Salvatore Sciarrino, with the Italian label Stradivarius.

He works regularly in artistic collaboration with several composers, in the creation of new repertoire for saxophone. It has established a continuous partnership with Antena 2 (Portuguese Classic Radio) on the news projects.

With 17 CDs published, he works regularly in artistic collaboration with several composers, in the creation of new repertoire for saxophone. As a soloist has recorded the cds: “Portuguese Music for Saxophone and Orchestra”, “MATER”,”HOME music for tenor saxophone by Andy Scott”, “TIBI – new Portuguese and American Music for saxophone”, “João Pedro Silva plays Jorge Salgueiro Vol.1” and “João Pedro Silva plays Jorge Salgueiro Vol.2”.

With Lino Guerreiro, is the author of the first Portuguese didactic book for the saxophone learning, “The Educational Saxophone”, with preface by Claude Delangle, edited by AVA Musical Editions.

He is member of the international saxophone quartet Bros. Quartet, Artemsax Quartet, L.U.M.E. – Lisbon Underground Music Ensemble, TERRA, Tenor Saxophone Colletive and Pedro Santos & João Pedro Silva (accordion and saxophone), with which all it has presented all over Portugal and abroad and edited several CDs.

He is the musical and artistic director of the Metropolitan Saxophone Ensemble, with who has recorded and edited two cds with new original Portuguese music for saxophone ensemble.

João is founding member and Vice-President of the Portuguese Saxophone Association. He took part of the EURSAX 17 European Saxophone Congress boarding team.
Laureate of several competitions, he was awarded the Municipal Medal of Merit – Gold Grade by the Palmela City Council.

He is the artistic director of FISP – Palmela International Saxophone Festival.

Born in Palmela, Portugal, began his musical studies at the Humanitária Philharmonic Society, Palmela, with Silvério Camolas. Studied with José Massarrão at Lisbon Superior Music School, with Alberto Roque at Almada Professional Music School with and Pedro Moreira at Luis Villas-Boas Jazz School. He also attended masterclass and seminars with Daniel Deffayet, James Houlik, Jean-Marie Londeix, Claude Delangle, Jean-Yves Formeau,
Henk Van Twillert, Vincent David, Carlos Martins, Jerry Bergonzi, among others.