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Academic Credentials

• 1987-1993, Lisbon National Conservatory admission, where did Contrabass studies with professors António Ferreira, and João Panta Nunes;

• 1992-1995, Portuguese under graduated Orchestra Performer Bacharelato degree at the National Higher Education Academy of Orchestra, under professor Bernard Madrennes Contrabass studies orientation;

• 1997-1999, Music Performance / Contrabass studies at Universities West Texas A & M (USA, Texas), and Butler (USA, Indiana), under orientation of professor David Murray, passing all classes, and always getting the highest grade (A), at Contrabass, and Orchestra classes;

• 2000-2002, Music Performance / Contrabass Bachelor degree, at Lisbon Higher Education Music School, under orientation of Professor Yuri Axenov, grade 18 (in a evaluation scale from 1-20), both on Contrabass class, and Final Written Thesis;

• 2009-2010, teaching professional certification course Profissionalização em Serviço, at Universidade Aberta (Lisbon). 

Scholarships

• 1991-1993 national level scholarship from C. Gulbenkian Foundation;

• 1992-1994 tuition free scholarship at National Higher Education Academy of Orchestra (ANSO) for undergraduate contrabass studies;

• 1994, scholarship from the company Alcântara Empreendimentos, S.G.P.S., SA in support for undergraduate contrabass studies at National Higher Education Academy of Orchestra (ANSO);

• 1996, scholarship from the company Alcântara Empreendimentos, S.G.P.S., SA in support of a 6 weeks Master Class at Victoria University (Canada), with professor Gary Karr;

• 1997-1999, two years and half Scholarship from the Portuguese Culture Ministry, in support of studies at West Texas A & M University (Texas, USA), and Butler University (Indiana, USA), with professor David Murray.

• Prizes

• 1991, first prize, Carpe Diem Music Festival (Alcobaça, Portugal);

• 1992, second prize, Young Musicians Prize, from Portuguese National Radio RDP 2 (Lisbon, Portugal);

• 1994, first prize, Young Musicians Prize, from Portuguese National Radio RDP 2 (Lisbon, Portugal);

• 1998, winer at Butler University‘s Concerto Contest, for playing solo with the Butler Symphony Orchestra in the 1998-99 concerts season, Butler University, Clowes Hall (Indiana, USA).

Internships

• 1990-1991, two orchestra internships, Orquestra das Escolas de Música Particulares, under orientation of maestro Leonardo Barros;

• 1991-1992, part of Orquestra Sinfónica Juvenil, conducted by maestro Christopher Bochmann;

• 1992-1993, two orchestra internships, Orquestra Luso-Alemã, oriented by maestro Christian Fitzner, Portugal, and Germany;

• 1993, internship at Orchestre des Jeunes de la Mediterranée, conducted by maestro Michel Tabachnik, with contrabass section orientation by Jean-Marc Rollez, soloist, and Contrabass professor at Paris Superior Conservatory;

• 1993-1994, two orchestra internships, Orquestra Luso-Francesa, orientated by maestro Jaques Grimbert, Portugal, and France;

• 1994, internship at Orquestra Portuguesa da Juventude, oriented by maestro Miguel Graça Moura at Pedras Salgadas (Portugal);

• 1995, professional internship at orchestras: Académica Metropolitana, and Metropolitana de Lisboa.

Teaching Experience

• 1993, assistant of Contrabass teacher Pedro Wallenstein, Évora Professional Music School, and Évora Conservatory;

• 1999-2006 Contrabass teacher, Beira Interior Arts Professional School (EPABI);

• 1999-2008 Contrabass teacher, Orfeão de Leiria Music School (EMOL);

• 2001 invited contrabass teacher, Castelo Branco Polytechnic Institute (ESART) orchestra internships;

• 2002-2004, Contrabass teacher, Covilhã Conservatory;

• 2002-2008 Contrabass teacher, Setúbal Conservatory;

• 2003-2004, Contrabass teacher, Image and Communication Technical School (ETIC / Lisbon);

• 2005-2008 Contrabass teacher, Lisbon Music Academy / Acordarte;

• 2005, Classical Contrabass/Bow Technique classes for contrabass teacher Yuri Daniel’s Jazz Students, JB Jazz music school;

• 2006-2008, Contrabass teacher, Alcobaça Music Academy;

• 2007, basic composition classes teaching for sound engineering students, Image and Communication Technical School (ETIC / Lisbon);

• Since 2008, Contrabass teacher at the Lisbon National Conservatory;

• 2014, permanent public contract at the Lisbon National Conservatory as full time Double Bass teacher;

• Presently, Double Bass teacher at Lisbon National Conservatory since 2008. However the first teaching experiences were in 1993, the more relevant work it is after 1999, when returned from Contrabass studies in USA, holding the position of Contrabass teacher at Beira Interior Arts Professional School (EPABI), and Orfeão de Leiria Music School (EMOL).

Relevant Recitals, Concerts, and Events

• 1994, performance of Koussevitzky’s Concerto Op.3, solo with the Lisbon Symphony Orchestra, conducted by maestro Álvaro Cassuto, at the celebration of National Radio RDP 2’s Young Musicians Prize, at S. Carlos Lisbon National Opera Theatre, broadcasted by National TV channel, RTP 2;

• 1998, Recital accompanied by the pianist Nuno Barroso with pieces by S. Koussevitzky, R. Gliere, P.Hindemith, and F.Lopes Graça, at Queluz National Palace, sponsored by Alcântara Empreendimentos, S.G.P.S., SA, and two recitals (with the same program, and Pianist) in the cities of Guarda, and Chaves commissioned by the Portuguese Culture Ministry, under their program Itenerários;

• 1999, performance of Koussevitzky’s Concerto Op.3, solo with Butler University Symphony Orchestra, conducted by maestro Stanley DeRusha, at Butler University’s Clowes Memorial Hall (Indiana, USA);

• 1999, recital at Palácio Foz (Lisbon), performing pieces by S. Koussevitzky, R. Gliere, P.Hindemith, F.Lopes Graça, and P. Ramsier, with the pianist Nuno Barroso, with painter Fernando Azevedo’s introductory speech, and Portuguese Institute of Media sponsorship;

• 1999-2000, I participated in professor Paulo Lameiro’s project Concerts for Babies, inspired by the theories of Edwin Gordon, in collaboration with Leiria city council, and the Orfeão de Leiria Music School (EMOL). This project included performances in many cities of Portugal, and a series of concerts at Stockholm (Sweden);

• 2000, concert in the first edition of Festa da Música, at Centro Cultural de Belém CCB (Lisbon), playing J.S. Bach’s Brandenburg Concerts, #3, and #5 with the Ysaye Strings Quartet, Renaud Capouçon, Gérard Caussé, Regis Pasquier, Alain Meunier, Henri Demarquette, Philippe Bernold, and Belandine Verlet;

• 2005, duo concert with the cellist Ulrich Mitzlaff, at the Queens Universty’s Sonorities Festival (Belfast / Northern Ireland);

• 2006, contrabassist at the chamber ensemble created for the composer Tiziano Manca’s version of the W. A. Mozart’s opera The Magic Flute, in a version for children translated for Portuguese, called Uma Pequena Flauta Mágica, conducted by Felix Krieger, and performed ten times at Fundação Calouste Gulbenkian grand concert hall (Lisbon);

• 2007, Barbacute quintet (António Carrilho, Fausto Corneo / Etienne Lamaison, Marcelo Fortuna, Edoardo Sbaffi, and Miguel Leiria Pereira) recorded, and broadcasted concert, by national radio Antena 2, at Centro Cultural de Belém CCB (Lisbon);

• 2007, El Fad’s Vivo, live recorded CD at the Auditório Fernando Lopes Graça (Almada), José Peixoto’s project El Fad, with Carlos Zìngaro, Miguel Leiria Pereira, and Vicky.

• 2008, Kimura Etsuko (Japanese / English Spoken Word, and texts), and Miguel Leiria Pereira (real time electronic processed Contrabass), concert at Serralves em Festa 2008 festival, from the Serralves Foundation (Portugal / Porto);

• 2008, Kasutera duo (Watanabe Teppe: Guitar / Composition & Miguel Leiria Pereira: Contrabass / Arrangements) concert at the exhibition about life and work of Portuguese Ambassador in Japan, Armando Martins Janeira, twenty years after his death, organized by Pássaro de Fogo publisher, Cascais City Council, and S. Domingos de Rana Library;

• 2009, Barcelona (Spain) live presentation of the music I created for Fito Conesa’s art installation called Waiting Time Wasting Time;

• 2011, duo concert with João Bengala (Classical Guitar / Portuguese Guitar) at Palácio Foz (Lisbon), performing Japanese Songs in the event Ganbare Nippon! organized by Paulo Duarte (Castella do Paulo) for the victims of tsunami in Japan;

• 2011, I organized at Lisbon National Conservatory a master class, and concert of professor David Murray, with who I studied between 1997-1999 in USA;

• 2012, performance with the singer Cao Bei, and guitarist João Bengala at the Scientific, and Cultural Center of Macau / Foundation House of Macau, celebrating Macau day;

• 2012, Nuova Camerata ensamble (Pedro Carneiro, Carlos Zíngaro, João Camões, Ulrich Mitzlaff, and Miguel Leiria Pereira) concert at Caluste Gulbenkian Foundation festival, Jazz em Agosto 2012 (Lisbon);

• 2012, Opening concert in duo with the pianist, and singer Yumiko Ishisuka, for the Almada City Literature Awards 2012 ceremony, at Fernando Lopes Graça Auditorium (Almada);

• 2013, I organized at the Lisbon National Conservatory, the first visit to Portugal of professor Gary Karr (the most active Contrabass soloist of the last fifty years), who I had contrabass lessons in 1996 in Canada, and who is my inspiration as a musician. In the first of two days we had a Contrabass clinic at Lisbon Conservatory’s concert hall, and in the second the recital, in which I also participated in two pieces specially arranged for the event, for two Contrabasses and Piano;

• Since 2018 I’ve been collaborating with the Lisbon University’s Confucius Institute participating in its events performing in duo with Chinese instrument Guzheng, in events like the Institute Spring Festival (2018), its 10th anniversary, Zhang Guoqing 张国清 (Tianjin city mayor) reception by the visit of president Xi Jinping to Portugal (2018), and the Confucius Institute Chinese new year celebration at Lisbon University (2019);

• 2019, Macau Scientific and Cultural Center’s Chinese Music and Musical Instruments 4Th Lisbon International Conference, in which I presented a keynote about Yúzhōu Chàng Wǎn piece, for which I made a Guzheng and Double Bass duo arrangement, here presented with live examples, and in duo with Fu Jingshu (Guzheng), and the conference’s closing concert with the project “Entrada1407” with the dancer and choreographer Sylvie Chen.

Orchestra Collaborations

• Lisbon Metropolitan Orchestra;

• Portuguese  Symphony Orchestra;

• Lisbon Sinfonietta;

• Cascais & Oeiras Chamber Orchestra;

• Amarillo Symphony Orchestra (USA, Texas).

Projects

• Duo, improvised music project, Ulrich Mitzlaff (Cello) & Miguel Leiria Pereira (Contrabass);

• Songbook, trio with Genoveva Faísca (Vocals), João Bengala (Guitar / Arrangements) & Miguel Leiria Pereira (Contrabass);

• Barbacute, Klezmer, Brazilian music, Soundtracks, and more. Quintet: António Carrilho (Recorder), Fausto Corneo (Clarinet), Marcelo Fortuna (Guitar / Cavaquinho), Edoardo Sbaffi (Violoncello) & Miguel Leiria Pereira (Contrabass);

• Etsuko Kimura (Spoken-word / Texts) & Miguel Leiria Pereira (Contrabass / Real-time sound processing);

• El Fad, World-Jazz Fusion quintet, with José Peixoto (Guitar / Composition), Carlos Zíngaro (Violin), Miguel Leiria Pereira (Contrabass I-Arco), Carlos Barreto (Contrabass II-Pizzicato) & José Salgueiro (Drums / Percussion);

• Kasutera, Bossa, Japanese music, Classical music, duo with Teppe Watanabe (Guitar / Composition) & Miguel Leiria Pereira (Contrabass / Arrangements);

• Video & Music project with the Barcelona based artist Fito Conesa (Video Art), and Miguel Leiria Pereira (Music / Contrabass / Real-time sound processing);

• Yumiko Ishizuka (Piano / Psaltery / Vocals / Arrangements), and Miguel Leiria Pereira (Contrabass / Arrangements);

• João Bengala (Guitar / Arrangements) & Miguel Leiria Pereira (Contrabass / Arrangements).

• Nuova Camerata (Pedro Carneiro, Carlos Zingaro, João Camões, Ulrich Mitzlaff & Miguel Leiria Pereira);

• Electronic Music and Double Bass duo with Armando Teixeira;

• “Entrada1407” Duet project with multi language original poetry from Sylvie Xing Chen (Choreographer, dancer and performer in contemporary art, Swiss artist with Chinese & Japanese root, living in Zurich & Berlin), in dialog with Miguel Leiria Pereira’s music on double bass.

Music for Theatre, Ballet, Cinema, Art Installation, etc.

• 1992, invited by the theatre director João Mota, I composed music for the Christopher Marlowe play, Edward II, and performed it at the Comuna Research Theatre Company during three months;

• 2003, I participated in music created by Nuno Rebelo for the Paulo Ribeiro’s Silicone Não Choreography, with text by Jacinto Lucas Pires;

• 2004, and 2005, I participated in music created for the contemporary dance company Amalgama’s Choreography Venite in Silentio (Based on a book by Risoleta Pinto Pedro);

• 2005, Contrabass solo for a TV commercial piece by Nuno Rebelo, for the ICEP Portuguese institute, in promotion of Portuguese brands;

• 2007, I made the soundtrack for the Nuno Pires, and Nathalie Benady, documentary Peregrinações (produced by Andar Filmes);

• 2007, I participated in music soundtrack by Nuno Rebelo, for the movie Lobos by José Nascimento (produced by Clap Filmes);

• 2008, invited by the theatre director João Mota, I composed music for the Gonçalo M. Tavares play, Berlim, and performed it at the Comuna Research Theatre Company during three months;

• 2008, I made music for the spanish video artist Fito Conesa’s video piece Musica de Camara;

• 2009, recorded contrabass solo composition, for the Barcelona artist Fito Conesa’s video art installation, Waiting Time Wasting Time, at a BCN / Ajuntament de Barcelona’s art exhibition, at La Capella / Capella de L’Antic Hospital de la Santa Creu;

• 2012, I participated with a solo on the recorded music soundtrack by Nanu Figueiredo, for the theatre company Magnólia play, João Torto, performed at Teatro Nacional D. Maria II (Lisbon);

• 2013, I recorded on Nanu Figueiredo’s music soundtrack, a Melody composed by António Zambujo for the José Luís Peixoto play, Morreste-me, directed, and performed by Sandra Barata Belo;

• 2019, Ermelinda do Rio, Text by João Monge, Play directed and performed by Maria João Luís, Music by José Peixoto for 3 Double Basses (Miguel Leiria Pereira, Sofia Queiroz Orê-Ibir e Sofia Pires), 19 performances in 2019.

CD's Participation

• Boris Ex Machina - Armando Teixeira (1996, Symbiose);

• Way Out-New Music From Portugal Vol.2 - (1999, Ananana);

• Balla - Armando Teixeira (2000, EMI Valentim de Carvalho);

• Mobília - Mola Dudle (2000, Ananana);

• Bethlehem 2000 Christmas Oratorio - EPABI Symphony Orchestra, and Covilhã Choir - Music Composed, and Conducted by Luis Cipriano (2000, Beira Interior Cultural Association);

• Covilhã Choir 10th Aniversary Concert, conducted by Luis Cipriano (2000, Beira Interior Cultural Association);

• Pasión - Rodrigo Leão (2001, Columbia / Sony Music);

• Não Quero Saber - Pilar (2001, Zona Música);

• O Futuro Só se Diz em Particular - Mola Dudle (2003, Ananana);

• Em Directo do Fim do Mundo - Factor Activo (2004, Loop Recordings);

• Made to Measure - Armando Teixeira (2005, Fonoteca Municipal);

• Mark Lewis and The Standards - Nuno Rebelo (2005, Transformadores);

• Calenda - Compilation by Miguel Cabral (2006, Rudimentol);

• Vivo - El Fad by José Peixoto with Carlos Zíngaro, Miguel Leiria Pereira, and Vicky (2008);

• Companhia das Indias - Rui Reininho (2008, Sony Music);

• Lunar - El Fad by José Peixoto, with Carlos Zíngaro, Miguel Leiria Pereira, António Quintino, and José Salgueiro (2010, JACC Records);

• Arqueologia - Balla: Armando Teixeira (2015, ediMusic);

• Chant - Nuova Camerata (Pedro Carneiro, Carlos Zingaro, João Camões, Ulrich Mitzlaff & Miguel Leiria Pereira), (2016, Improvising Beings). 

More References

• 1992-1995, musician in reserve list for the European Community Youth Orchestra;

• I attended the 20th Century Chamber Music Class of professor Jorge Peixinho, at Lisbon Nation Conservatory;

• At Portuguese improvised music milieu, I’ve the Duo project with the cellist Ulrich Mitzlaff, and I’ve been playing in concerts with musicians like Carlos Zíngaro, Nuno Rebelo, Rodrigo Amado, Marco Franco, etc;

• I was member of the Granular Association for Experimental Art;

• 1999, at Butler University (Indiana, USA), I attended the Master Degree Class, Psychology of Music Learning, achieving grade A in its final project about the Contrabass Pedagogy;

• 1998-99, grade A in two independent studies at Butler University (Indiana, USA), with professor David Murray, about Contrabass Pedagogy;

• 1997, American Language Academy course at Butler University (Indiana, USA);

• Digital Arts class at Butler University with professor Dr. T. Brimmer (Indiana, USA);

• 1998-1999, part-time work as Computer Lab Assistant at Butler University (Indiana, USA);

• As musician and teacher, new technologies are an important support, in which I try to be updated as much as I can;

• I started my double bass studies in 1987 at Lisbon National Conservatory, now in 2023 it’s the 36th year since started to learn the instrument.

Recommendation Letters

• Gary Karr, the most active Contrabass soloist of the last fifty years;

• David Murray, Contrabass Professor at Butler University;

• Dr. Daniel P. Bolin, Former Butler University’s Music Department Head;

• Dr. Steve Roberson, Former Butler University’s Associate Dean;

• Fernando Eldoro, Maestro.