António Pinho Vargas (born Vila Nova de Gaia, August 15, 1951) is a Portuguese composer and pianist specialized in the performance and writing of Jazz and as well as Contemporary Music. He is also a literary author having written books, essays and articles on the subject of music.
Having obtained a degree in History at the University of Porto, he later proceeded to study music at the Rotterdam Conservatory (from 1987 until 1990) were he graduated in Musical Composition. He is currently teaching Music Composition at the 'Escola Superior de Música' in Lisbon, and has been doing so since 1991.
Early in his career he became a leading name in Portuguese Jazz, where one could already often hear the influence of Contemporary Music. He recorded seven albums in his unique Jazz style, the first being - Outros Lugares (1983). He also wrote seven soundtracks for Portuguese films and two theatrical plays.
Since his return from Holland he has mainly been a Classical composer, having written three Operas, several orchestral and ensemble pieces, and also works recorded by: the Arditti String Quartet, the Galliard Ensemble, the Royal Scottish Academy Brass and The Northern Sinfonia among others.
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António Pinho Vargas was born in Vila Nova de Gaia (near Oporto) in 1951. He has a History degree, and obtained the final degree for Piano studies from the Oporto Conservatory. He went abroad to study for three years under the guidance of composer - Klaas de Vries at the Rotterdam Conservatory with a scholarship from the Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation. He there obtained his degree in Composition in 1990. He was awarded The Order of Prince Henry the Navigator (a Portuguese National Order of Knighthood - "Ordem do Infante Dom Henrique") by the President of the Portuguese Republic in 1995. He now teaches Composition at "Escola Superior de Música de Lisboa" and has done so since 1991. He had also attended composition courses, workshops and seminars in Portugal (with Emanuel Nunes), in the Netherlands (with John Cage and Louis Andriessen), in Hungary (with Gyorgy Ligeti), and in Italy (with Franco Donatoni). He worked as music consultant for the Serralves Foundation in Oporto (between 1994 and 2000), and for the "Centro Cultural de Belém" in Lisbon (from 1996 to 1998). In 2010 he completed his PhD with the thesis ''Music and Power: towards a sociology of the absence of portuguese music in the european context at the University of Coimbra, published by Almedina in 2011.
He began to play Jazz in 1974 with, among others, the following musicians: Kenny Wheeler, Steve Potts ,Paolo Fresu, Arild Andersen, Jon Christensen, Adam Rudolph, among others.
With his jazz group, he performed throughout Spain, France, Italy, Germany, Belgium, The Netherlands, The United Kingdom, the former Yugoslavia, USA, Cape Verde, South Africa and Macao. Some of António Pinho Vargas's recorded work is the following (some of his early recordings): Outros Lugares (1983), Cores e Aromas (1985), As Folhas Novas Mudam de Cor (1987), Os Jogos do Mundo (1989), Selos e Borboletas (1991), A Luz e a Escuridão (1996) and the best-of As Mãos (1998). He was awarded three times with the "Sete de Ouro", the Portuguese journalistic prize for 'Best Instrumental Record of the Year'. António P. Vargas composes for the theatre as well as for cinema, having written work for João Botelho’s movies Tempos Difíceis – Hard Times (1988) (receiving an I.P.C. Award for Best Soundtrack), and Aqui na Terra – Here On Earth (1993). He also composed soundtracks for José Fonseca e Costa’s movie Cinco Dias, Cinco Noites – Five Days, Five Nights (1996) (awarded Best Soundtrack at the Gramado Movie Festival, in Brasil), João Botelho’s film Quem és tu? – Who Are You? (2001), and O Fascínio (2003), a José Fonseca e Costa film. He also composed for Carlos Avilez's staging of William Shakespeare's Hamlet (1987) and Richard II (1995).
Since his years in Holland, António Pinho Vargas has composed Contemporary Music for the most part, having reached a prominent place in the Portuguese music scenario. He has had his work performed in France, Germany, Holand, Belgium, Poland, Hungary, Sweden, Spain, Brasil, United Kingdom and USA. His compositions have been commissioned and/or sponsored by institutions such as the Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation, Culturgest, Lisbon 1994 – European Culture Capital, Expo’98, Teatro Nacional de S. Carlos, and Porto’2001 – European Culture Capital.
In António Pinho Vargas’s work there are compositions for ensemble and solo instruments such as Mirrors (for piano solo, first performed in Amsterdam, 1990, by Paul Prenen and later performed by Ronald Brautigam, Madalena Soveral, Francisco Monteiro, Tania Achot, Gloria Chen-Chocran, Volker Banfield and Miguel Henriques among others), Três Versos de Caeiro (Ensemble Nuova Sincronia, Northern Sinfonia, OrchestrUtopica, Remix Ensemble). There are also compositions for orchestra: Acting Out, (under the direction of António Saiote, J.R. Encinar , Martin André), A Impaciência de Mahler(under direction by Michael Zilm, Martin André), and compositions for choir with orchestra. The following are some examples: Judas secundum Lucam, Joannem, Matthaeum et Marco, (under Fernando Eldoro). He also wrote the following operas: Édipo, Tragédia de Saber and Os Dias Levantados (under the direction of João Paulo Santos). The premiere of Six Portraits of Pain for cello and large ensemble was held in April 2005 (Anssi Karttunen / cello and Remix Ensemble conducted by Frank Ollu) for the opening of the music hall Casa da Música in Oporto.
He attended Other Minds V Festival, a festival organized by Charles Amirkhanian in S.Francisco (USA), in March 1999. He also attended the International Music Theatre Workshop at the "Oper am Rhein" in Düsseldorf, for a video presentation of Os Dias Levantados. In 2001 he went to the Bellagio Study and Conference Center in Italy, having received a grant (scholarship) from the Rockefeller Foundation.
The CD Monodia, was produced in 1995 by EMI Classics and sponsored by Lisbon’94 - European Culture Capital. The piece for string quartet Monodia-quasi un requiem was performed in 1998 by the Artis Quartet of Wien. It is included in the Portuguese Chamber Music CD, performed by the Arditti String Quartet (Etcetera Records). The CD Versos was sponsored by IPAE and produced in 2001 by Strauss. In February and March, 2002, Culturgest held a Festival dedicated to António Pinho Vargas’s body of work. Also, a documentary film was made -"António Pinho Vargas, notas de um compositor" – (António Pinho Vargas, the composer’s notes). The film was commissioned by Culturgest, LxFilmes and RTP, and co-directed by Manuel Mozos and Luís Correia.
The composer’s first book, "Sobre Música" (On The Subject of Music), was published by 'Afrontamento' in 2002. It contains seven essays, several texts and interviews. A live recording of the opera Os Dias Levantados was released in 2005 by EMI Classics. António Pinho Vargas was one of the artistic directors for OrchestrUtopica until 2007.
Graffiti [just forms], a work for large orchestra, was premiered in March 2006. It was performed the by the Orquestra Sinfónica Portuguesa under the direction of Lothar Königs.
SIX PORTRAITS OF PAIN (2005) for Violoncello and Large Ensemble alto fl, ob, cl, bcl, fg, tp, cor, tbn, 3 perc., pf, Cello Solo, 6 vln, 2 vla, 2 vlc, 2 cb; Duration: 27' Commissioned by: Casa da Música / Porto 2001 Published by: First Performance: Anssi Karttunen (violoncello) and Remix Ensemble, dir: Frank Ollu, Porto, 2005 | critic |
MACHINES FICTIVES (pour Pierrot le fou) (2003) for Ensemble fl; ob; cl; bcl, fg; 2 perc; pf; vl I; vl II; vla; vlc; cb; Duration: 12 ' Commissioned by: Fundação Oriente Published by: First Performance: OchestrUtópica, dir. Yu- Feng, Lisboa, 2003
TRÊS VERSOS DE CAEIRO (1997) for 12 instruments fl; ob; cl, cor; fg;; pf; perc; vln I ; vl II; vla; vlc; cb Duration: 10' Commissioned by: Foundation Calouste Gulbenkian Published by: First Performance: Ensemble Nuova Sincronia, dir. Renato Rivolta, Lisboa and Milano, 1997 | record |
TRÊS QUADROS PARA ALMADA (1994) for 10 instruments fl, cl1, cl/clb, fg/cfg, tp, cr, tbn, pf, vln, vlc, Duration: 17' Commissioned by: Professional School of Music - Almada Published by: First Performance: Soloists from Orq. Sinfónica Portuguesa, Lisboa | record |
ESTUDO/FIGURA (1990) for 10 instruments fl; cl; c.i.clb; vib/mar; cel/pf vln I vla; vlc; cb Duration: 12' Commissioned by: Published by: First Performance: Performance: Ensemble RC, dir. Arie Van Beck, Ammsterdam
MÚSICA PLANA / MÚSICA CONTRAPLANA (1989) for Opus Ensemble ob/c.i.,vla, cb, pf. Duration: 12' Commissioned by: RTP Published by: First Performance: Soloists from Rotterdam's Conservatorium, Amsterdam (withdrawn for rev.)
CÍRCULOS (1986) for ensemble (10 instruments) fl; ob; cl; v; va; vc; pf; perc Duration: 10' Commissioned by: Published by: First Performance: Oficina Musical, dir. Álvaro Salazar, 1987 (withdrawn for rev.)
AN IMPOSSIBLE TASK (2009) for orchestra (Strings 3 vlns 2 vlas, 3 vlc, 1cb e harpschord) Duration: 12 ' Commissioned by: Centro Cultural de Belém Published by: antónio pinho vargas First Performance: Orq. Metropolitana de Lisboa, dir. MICHAEL ZILM , Abril 2009 Grande Auditório do CCB
UM DISCURSO DE THOMAS BERNHARD (2009) for speaker and orchestra (2.2.2.2- 2.2.2.-1 perc, .hp.-6.6.4.4.2) Duration: 12 ' Commissioned by: Orquestra Metropolitana de Lisboa Published by: antónio pinho vargas First Performance: Orq. Sinfónica Portuguesa, dir. MICHAEL ZILM , Dezembro 2007 Pequeno Auditório do CCB
GRAFFITI [just forms] (2006) for large orchestra (3.3.3.1.3.1- 6.3.3.1-5 perc. pf.hp.-16.14.12.10.8) Duration: 25 ' Commissioned by: Teatro Nacional de São Carlos Published by: http://www.editions-ava.com/store/work/8/ First Performance: Orq. Sinfónica Portuguesa, dir. LOTHAR KÖNIGS, Março 2006, Grande Auditório do CCB | critic |
RE-ENTERING (2004) for orchestra and percussion obligato (2.2.2.2. - 0.2.0.2. -1perc) (10.8.6.5.4) Duration: 8 ' Commissioned by: Teatro Nacional de S. Carlos Published by: First Performance: Orq. Sinfónica Portuguesa dir. Donato Renzentti, Lisboa, 2004 | opinion |
... VON FREMDEN LÄNDLER ... (2004) for piano solo and orchestra (2.2.2.2 - 4.2.0.0. - 2 perc- 14.12.10.6.5) Duration: 18 ' Commissioned by: International Music Festival of Coimbra Published by: First Performance: Orq. Gulbenkian, dir. Yu Feng; piano: Anne Kaasa, Coimbra, 2004
DUAS PEÇAS (1992–2000) for string orchestra (8.6.6.6.5) Duration: 15' Commissioned by: Published by: First Performance: Orq. Nacional do Porto, dir. Cesário Costa, V.N. Gaia
A IMPACIÊNCIA DE MAHLER (1999) for orchestra (2.2.2.2 - 4.2.0.0. 1 perc); (14.12.10.6.5) Duration: 20 ' Commissioned by: Foundation Calouste Gulbenkian Published by: Fermata First Performance: Orq. Gulbenkian, dir. Michael Zilm, Lisboa, 2001
ACTING-OUT (1998–2000) for piano, percussion and orchestra (2. 2. 2. 1. 2 - 2. 2. 2. 2. 1. 2 perc); strings A (6.6.4.4.3); strings B (6.6.4.4.3) Duration: 19 ' Commissioned by: Teatro Nacional de São Carlos Published by: Portuguese Music Information Centre http://www.mic.pt/ First Performance: Orq. Sinfónica Portuguesa, dir. António Saiote. Piano: Miguel Henriques, Percussion: Elizabeth Davies, Lisboa, 1998 | critic |
EXPLICIT DRAMA (1992) for orchestra and jazz trio Duration: 20 ' Commissioned by: Comissão Portuguesa dos Descobrimentos Published by: First Performance: Orq. Gulbenkian, dir. Michel Swiertchevisky, Lisboa. (withdrawn for rev.)
GEOMETRAL (1988–2000) for Orchestra (27 instruments) Duration: 20 ' Commissioned by: Foundation Calouste Gulbenkian Published by: Donemus (1989) (rev. version 2001 antónio pinho vargas)
First Performance: Orq. Gulbenkian, dir. Michel Tabachnik, Lisboa, 1989
QUASI UNA SONATA (2011) for violin and piano Duration: 10' Commissioned by: Centro Cultural de Belém Published by: antónio pinho vargas First Performance: 29-5-2011
QUATRO NOVOS FRAGMENTOS (2010) for clarinet and piano Duration: 9' Commissioned by: António Saiote 2010 Published by: antónio pinho vargas First Performance: (not yet)
ONE MINUTE TO GO (2010) for Sond'art Ensemble (fl, cl, ln, vlc, pno) Duration: 1' Commissioned by: para os 25 anos do MisoMusic Portugal - 2010 Published by: antónio pinho vargas First Performance: 14 April 2010, Instituto Franco-Português
MOVIMENTOS DO SUBSOLO, QUARTETO DE CORDAS Nº 2 (2008) for String Quartet Duration: 11' Commissioned by: XXX Festival Internacional de Música da Povoa de Varzim Published by: First Performance: Quarteto Verazin, Póvoa de Varzim, 2008
DOIS VIOLINOS FOR CARLOS PAREDES (2003) for 2 violins (2.2.2.2. - 0.2.0.2. -1perc) (10.8.6.5.4) Duration: 6 ' Commissioned by: Movimentos Perpétuos Published by: First Performance: Aníbal Lima e Pedro Pacheco, Lisboa, 2003 | record |
STEP BY STEP, WOLFS! (2002) for 6 perdussionists (2.2.2.2. - 0.2.0.2. -1perc) (10.8.6.5.4) Duration: 6 ' Commissioned by: Drumming Published by: First Performance: Drumming, dir. Miguel Bernat, 2002 | critic |
TRÊS ESTUDOS FOR 2 PIANOS (2000–2001) for 2 pianos Duration: 15 ' Commissioned by: Published by: First Performance: Miguel Henriques, Ana Valente, Lisboa, 2001 | critic |
TWO FAMILY DISCUSSIONS (2001) for 2 trumpets Duration: 6 ' Commissioned by: International Music Festival of Mafra Published by: Instituto Camões, 2003 First Performance: John Wallace, John Miller, Mafra, 2001 | record | | critic |
QUATRO OU CINCO MOVIMENTOS FUGIDIOS DA ÁGUA (2001) for clarinet trio Duration: 15 ' Commissioned by: Published by: Quantitas, 2003; http://www.eduardopatriarca.com/page10.htm First Performance: Cl: António Saiote, Vlc: Jed Barahal, Pf: António Rosado, Póvoa de Varzim, 2001 | critic | record |
SETE CANÇÕES DE ALBANO MARTINS (2000) for barítone and piano Duration: 18' Commissioned by: Published by: Fermata First Performance: Paulo Ferreira, Jaime Mota, Porto, 2000 | critic | record |
ESTUDOS E INTERLÚDIOS (2000) for 6 percussionists Duration: 25' Commissioned by: Published by: First Performance: Drumming, dir. Miguel Bernat, Lisboa, 2000 | critic |
TERCEIRO VERSO DE CAEIRO (1997) for 4 instruments Duration: 10' Commissioned by: "Sven for Parlor" Published by: First Performance: "Sven for Parlor", Athens, 1997
NOVE CANÇÕES DE ANTÓNIO RAMOS ROSA (1995) for voice e piano Duration: 25' Commissioned by: Encontros Primavera de Guimarães Published by: Fermata First Performance: Rui Taveira, Jaime Mota, Guimarães, 1995 | critic | record |
NOCTURNO/DIURNO (1994) for string sextet Duration: 8' Commissioned by: Câmara Municipal do Porto Published by: First Performance: Sextuor L'Artois de Lille, Porto, 1994 | record |
MONODIA - quasi un requiem (1993) for string quartet Duration: 15' Commissioned by: Câmara Municipal do Porto para as Jornadas de Arte Contemporânea de 1993 Published by: Portuguese Music Information Centre http://www.mic.pt/ First Performance: Ensemble MusikFabrik, Porto, 1993 | critic | record 1 | record 2 |
MECHANICAL STRING TOYS (1992) for string orchestra (8,6,6,4,4) Duration: 6' Commissioned by: Orquestra Metropolitana de Lisboa Published by: First Performance: Orq. Metropolitana de Lisboa, dir. Miguel Graça Moura, Lisboa, 1992
POETICA DELL ESTINZIONE (secondo mikhal serguieievitch) (1990) for flute and string quartet Duration: 6' Commissioned by: Oficina Musical Published by: First Performance: Oficina Musical, dir. Álvaro Salazar, Porto, 1990 | record |
CUT (1989 / rev.: 2004) for saxophone quartet alto/soprano; alto; tenor; baritone Duration: 8' Commissioned by: Published by: http://www.editions-ava.com/store/work/201/ First Performance: Quarteto de Saxofones de Lisboa, Lisboa, 1989
GRAVITAÇÕES (1984) for flute and clarinet alto/soprano; alto; tenor; baritone Duration: 6' Commissioned by: Oficina Musical Published by: First Performance: Eduardo Lucena, Américo Aguiar (Oficina Musical), Porto, 1984 (withdrawn for rev.)
OUTRO FIM (2009) chamber opera 5 singers; fl; ob; cl; Bcl; fg/cf; 2hn; tbn; 2 perc; pf; 3 vl I;3 vl II;2 vla;2 vln;2 cb; Libreto: José Maria Vieira Mendes Duration: 1h 30' Commissioned by: Culturgest Published by: Ava Editions First Performance: Sónia Alcobaça, Luís Rodrigues, Larissa Savchanko, Mário Alves, Madalena Boleo Orquestra Sinfónica Portuguesa, dir.Cesário Costa, Lisboa, 2008
chamber opera 3 singers; fl; ob; cl; Bcl; fg; tp; hn; tbn; 2 perc; harp; pf; vl I; vl II; vla; vln; cb; Electronics by Carlos Caires and Antonio Pinho Vargas Libreto: Paulo Tunhas Duration: 32' Commissioned by: Casa da Música Published by: First Performance: Eduarda Melo, Matthew Bean, Ivan Ludlow Remix Ensemble, dir. Franck Ollu, Lisboa, 1996 | critic |
for choir and orchestra Large Choir; (2.2.2.2.4.2.2.0. 1 perc); (12.10.8.8.6) Duration: 30' Commissioned by: Festival de Música Sacra de Viana do Castelo Published by: http://www.editions-ava.com/store/work/319/ First Performance: Choir and Orq. Gulbenkian dir. Fernando Eldoro, 2002 | critic |
opera 8 singers; Large Choir; (2.2.3.2 - 2.0.2.2 - 3 perc) ; Strings Libretto: Manuel Gusmão Duration: 105' Commissioned by: Expo'98 Published by: First Performance: Orq. Sinfónica Portuguesa, Choir from Teatro Nacional de S. Carlos, dir. João Paulo Santos, Lisboa, 1998 | critic | record critics | record |
opera 4 singers; 32 choir; fl;fg; cl; ob; tp; tbn; 2 perc pf; vl I; vl II; vla; vln; cb; Libretto: Pedro Paixão Duration: 64' Commissioned by: Culturgest Published by: First Performance: Soilists from Orq. Sinfónica Portuguesa, Choir from Teatro Nacional de S. Carlos, dir. João Paulo Santos, Lisboa, 1996
opera for 4 mixed choir Duration: 5' Commissioned by: Published by: First Performance: Coro de Câmara de Lisboa, dir. Teresita Gutierrez Marques, Lisboa, 1994 | record |
!Title !!Year !!Instrument !!Duration !!Published by !!Commissioned by !!1st Performance
"SUITE PARA VIOLONCELO SOLO (2008)"
for Cello Solo || 12' || Conservatório de Música das Caldas de Rainha || Nuno Abreu, Caldas de Rainha, 2008
IL RITORNO (2002)
for harpsichord ||14' ||International Music Festival of Mafra ||Instituto Camões, 2003 ||Ana Mafalda Castro, Mafra
HOLDERLINOS (2001) ||for piano ||26' ||International Music Festival of Coimbra ||Partituras PortugalSom; www.dgartes.pt ||Miguel Henriques, Coimbra.
LA LUNA (1996) ||for guitar ||3' ||Cecilia Colien Honneger ||Cecilia Colien Honneger Album; http://www.editions-ava.com/store/category/88/ ||Gabriel Estrahellas, Madrid.
MIRRORS (1989) ||for piano ||9' ||Secretaria de Estado da Cultura ||Musicoteca, 1994; Portuguese Music Information Centre http://www.mic.pt/ ||Paul Prenen, Amsterdam, 1990.
TRÊS FRAGMENTOS (1985-7) ||for clarinet solo ||5' ||Oficina Musical, 1995 ||António Saiote, Lisboa.
PEÇA (1983) ||for flute solo ||4' ||Calouste Gulbenkian School of Braga ||-- ||Olavo Tengner, Jorge Salgado, Braga, (withdrawn for rev.).