Pianist Luís Magalhães presents his first solo album at Casa da Música

Pianist Luís Magalhães chose works by Mozart, Beethoven, Schubert and Brahms for his first solo album, a double CD, which he will present next Tuesday at Casa da Música, in Porto. The release of the double album and the recitals already scheduled are clearly a commitment by the musician to Portugal, where he intends to settle. In an interview with Lusa, Luís Magalhães stated that, “after more than 20 years living abroad, the time has come to return to Portugal”, emphasizing: “I have never stopped being Portuguese, and my desire is to play for my fellow countrymen as much as possible!” The pianist has developed his career on international stages, both in Europe and in America and Africa, having lived in South Africa and the United States. Magalhães was a student of Vladimir Viardo at the University of North Texas and holds a PhD in Piano Performance from the University of Cape Town, having maintained his connection as an associate professor with the University of Stellenbosch, in South Africa, until last year. Speaking to Lusa, the pianist, originally from Vila Nova de Famalicão, mentioned “how much he misses” Portugal, and his desire to be “closer to his family, especially his parents”, and his desire to “give his children a different experience, giving them access to study opportunities in Europe”. Currently living in Porto, the pianist also mentioned “professional issues”. “Most of my concerts are in Europe and it has become quite tiring to travel 12 hours every month to get anywhere”. In addition to the recital at Casa da Música, where he will present “just a small summary of the album’s repertoire, given that it is a double album - the rest has to be heard on the album -”, Luís Magalhães has performances planned for September, on the 12th, at the Cidnay Festival, in Vila Nova de Famalicão and, the following day, in Coimbra, at the À Corda Festival, where he will play with Swedish cellist Torleif Thedéen. In Coimbra, with Thedéen, he will return to Schubert, “An die Musik” and “Nacht und Träume”, and will perform a sonata by Robert Schumann, with arrangements for piano and cello. Luís Magalhães has a career spanning more than 20 years, having given his first recital at the age of nine, but only now has he released his first solo album. Speaking to Lusa, the pianist acknowledged that “it took some time to record a solo album”. “I recorded ten albums with different types of chamber music repertoire: duos, trios, quartets, etc.” “I covered a lot of repertoire, but I never felt the need to record it on disc”, he said, adding: “After my return to Portugal, after having spent more than 20 years living abroad, I think it is the ideal time to make this presentation”. When asked about the choice of four composers from different eras and musical styles chosen for the recording, Luís Magalhães stated: “The premise for choosing the repertoire was very simple: composers I love and works I have always wanted to record. There is no obvious link in itself, simply music that has been with me for many years and in which I humbly believe I have something new to say”. The double CD lineup includes the Sonata in B-flat Major D.946, Franz Schubert's final piano sonata, which occupies one of the discs of the physical edition; on the other, there are Mozart's Fantasia in D minor and Fantasia in C minor, Beethoven's six “Bagatelles”, and the four pieces from Brahms' opus 119. The chosen works “require a very broad emotional openness on the part of the pianist,” said Luís Magalhães. “It is not music that can be played with a closed heart. Hence the pianist’s position becomes quite vulnerable in emotional terms. Almost as if it were a visit to the psychologist...”. Regarding the preparation for the recording, Luís Magalhães stated that it was done “in the long term”. “My preparation was done over several decades, evolving in thought and ideas, with work on technical improvement, etc. It is only in the months before the studio work that more intense physical work is done to be able to withstand the physical pressure that occurs during the recording”. Luís Magalhães developed a two-piano project with pianist Nina Schumann, which he performed at the Palácio da Ajuda in Lisbon, among other venues, and which “followed its natural course” in recitals in concert halls in different countries. The partnership also resulted in four joint albums. “We did an excellent job in the duo repertoire field with unique results,” he stated. Despite this being his first solo album, Luís Magalhães has an extensive discography, having collaborated with several artists, such as violinists Frank Stadler, Daniel Rowland, Madeline Adkins and Priya Mitchell, South African violist Gareth Lubbe, cellists Julian Arp and Peter Martens, and American oboist James Austin Smith, in addition to

The album with Martens, on which he recorded Beethoven Sonatas, received a South African Music Award in 2011.

Pianist Luís Magalhães chose works by Mozart, Beethoven, Schubert and Brahms for his first solo album, a double CD, which he will present next Tuesday at Casa da Música, in Porto. The release of the double album and the recitals already scheduled are clearly a commitment by the musician to Portugal, where he intends to settle. In an interview with Lusa, Luís Magalhães stated that, “after more than 20 years living abroad, the time has come to return to Portugal”, emphasizing: “I have never stopped being Portuguese, and my desire is to play for my fellow countrymen as much as possible!” The pianist has developed his career on international stages, both in Europe and in America and Africa, having lived in South Africa and the United States. Magalhães was a student of Vladimir Viardo at the University of North Texas and holds a PhD in Piano Performance from the University of Cape Town, having maintained his connection as an associate professor with the University of Stellenbosch, in South Africa, until last year. Speaking to Lusa, the pianist, originally from Vila Nova de Famalicão, mentioned “how much he misses” Portugal, and his desire to be “closer to his family, especially his parents”, and his desire to “give his children a different experience, giving them access to study opportunities in Europe”. Currently living in Porto, the pianist also mentioned “professional issues”. “Most of my concerts are in Europe and it has become quite tiring to travel 12 hours every month to get anywhere”. In addition to the recital at Casa da Música, where he will present “just a small summary of the album’s repertoire, given that it is a double album - the rest has to be heard on the album -”, Luís Magalhães has performances planned for September, on the 12th, at the Cidnay Festival, in Vila Nova de Famalicão and, the following day, in Coimbra, at the À Corda Festival, where he will play with Swedish cellist Torleif Thedéen. In Coimbra, with Thedéen, he will return to Schubert, “An die Musik” and “Nacht und Träume”, and will perform a sonata by Robert Schumann, with arrangements for piano and cello. Luís Magalhães has a career spanning more than 20 years, having given his first recital at the age of nine, but only now has he released his first solo album. Speaking to Lusa, the pianist acknowledged that “it took some time to record a solo album”. “I recorded ten albums with different types of chamber music repertoire: duos, trios, quartets, etc.” “I covered a lot of repertoire, but I never felt the need to record it on disc”, he said, adding: “After my return to Portugal, after having spent more than 20 years living abroad, I think it is the ideal time to make this presentation”. When asked about the choice of four composers from different eras and musical styles chosen for the recording, Luís Magalhães stated: “The premise for choosing the repertoire was very simple: composers I love and works I have always wanted to record. There is no obvious link in itself, simply music that has been with me for many years and in which I humbly believe I have something new to say”. The double CD lineup includes the Sonata in B-flat Major D.946, Franz Schubert's final piano sonata, which occupies one of the discs of the physical edition; on the other, there are Mozart's Fantasia in D minor and Fantasia in C minor, Beethoven's six “Bagatelles”, and the four pieces from Brahms' opus 119. The chosen works “require a very broad emotional openness on the part of the pianist,” said Luís Magalhães. “It is not music that can be played with a closed heart. Hence the pianist’s position becomes quite vulnerable in emotional terms. Almost as if it were a visit to the psychologist...”. Regarding the preparation for the recording, Luís Magalhães stated that it was done “in the long term”. “My preparation was done over several decades, evolving in thought and ideas, with work on technical improvement, etc. It is only in the months before the studio work that more intense physical work is done to be able to withstand the physical pressure that occurs during the recording”. Luís Magalhães developed a two-piano project with pianist Nina Schumann, which he performed at the Palácio da Ajuda in Lisbon, among other venues, and which “followed its natural course” in recitals in concert halls in different countries. The partnership also resulted in four joint albums. “We did an excellent job in the duo repertoire field with unique results,” he stated. Despite this being his first solo album, Luís Magalhães has an extensive discography, having collaborated with several artists, such as violinists Frank Stadler, Daniel Rowland, Madeline Adkins and Priya Mitchell, South African violist Gareth Lubbe, cellists Julian Arp and Peter Martens, and American oboist James Austin Smith, in addition to

The album with Martens, on which he recorded Beethoven Sonatas, received a South African Music Award in 2011.

Pianist Luís Magalhães chose works by Mozart, Beethoven, Schubert and Brahms for his first solo album, a double CD, which he will present next Tuesday at Casa da Música, in Porto. The release of the double album and the recitals already scheduled are clearly a commitment by the musician to Portugal, where he intends to settle. In an interview with Lusa, Luís Magalhães stated that, “after more than 20 years living abroad, the time has come to return to Portugal”, emphasizing: “I have never stopped being Portuguese, and my desire is to play for my fellow countrymen as much as possible!” The pianist has developed his career on international stages, both in Europe and in America and Africa, having lived in South Africa and the United States. Magalhães was a student of Vladimir Viardo at the University of North Texas and holds a PhD in Piano Performance from the University of Cape Town, having maintained his connection as an associate professor with the University of Stellenbosch, in South Africa, until last year. Speaking to Lusa, the pianist, originally from Vila Nova de Famalicão, mentioned “how much he misses” Portugal, and his desire to be “closer to his family, especially his parents”, and his desire to “give his children a different experience, giving them access to study opportunities in Europe”. Currently living in Porto, the pianist also mentioned “professional issues”. “Most of my concerts are in Europe and it has become quite tiring to travel 12 hours every month to get anywhere”. In addition to the recital at Casa da Música, where he will present “just a small summary of the album’s repertoire, given that it is a double album - the rest has to be heard on the album -”, Luís Magalhães has performances planned for September, on the 12th, at the Cidnay Festival, in Vila Nova de Famalicão and, the following day, in Coimbra, at the À Corda Festival, where he will play with Swedish cellist Torleif Thedéen. In Coimbra, with Thedéen, he will return to Schubert, “An die Musik” and “Nacht und Träume”, and will perform a sonata by Robert Schumann, with arrangements for piano and cello. Luís Magalhães has a career spanning over 20 years, having given his first recital at the age of nine, but only now has he released his first solo album. Speaking to Lusa, the pianist acknowledged that “it took him some time to record a solo album”. “I recorded ten albums with different types of chamber music repertoire: duos, trios, quartets, etc.” “I covered a lot of repertoire, but I never felt the need to record it on disc”, he said, adding: “After my return to Portugal, after having spent more than 20 years living abroad, I think it is the ideal time to make this presentation”. When asked about the choice of four composers from different eras and musical styles chosen for the recording, Luís Magalhães stated: “The premise for choosing the repertoire was very simple: composers I love and works I have always wanted to record. There is no obvious link in itself, simply music that has been with me for many years and in which I humbly believe I have something new to say”. The double CD lineup includes the Sonata in B-flat Major D.946, Franz Schubert's final piano sonata, which occupies one of the discs of the physical edition; on the other, there are Mozart's Fantasia in D minor and Fantasia in C minor, Beethoven's six “Bagatelles”, and the four pieces from Brahms' opus 119. The chosen works “require a very broad emotional openness on the part of the pianist,” said Luís Magalhães. “It is not music that can be played with a closed heart. Hence the pianist’s position becomes quite vulnerable in emotional terms. Almost as if it were a visit to the psychologist...”. Regarding the preparation for the recording, Luís Magalhães stated that it was done “in the long term”. “My preparation was done over several decades, evolving in thought and ideas, with work on technical improvement, etc. It is only in the months before the studio work that more intense physical work is done to be able to withstand the physical pressure that occurs during the recording”. Luís Magalhães developed a two-piano project with pianist Nina Schumann, which he performed at the Palácio da Ajuda in Lisbon, among other venues, and which “followed its natural course” in recitals in concert halls in different countries. The partnership also resulted in four joint albums. “We did an excellent job in the duo repertoire field with unique results,” he stated. Despite this being his first solo album, Luís Magalhães has an extensive discography, having collaborated with several artists, such as violinists Frank Stadler, Daniel Rowland, Madeline Adkins and Priya Mitchell, South African violist Gareth Lubbe, cellists Julian Arp and Peter Martens, and American oboist James Austin Smith, in addition to

The album with Martens, on which he recorded Beethoven Sonatas, received a South African Music Award in 2011.