António Pinho Vargas


António Pinho Vargas is a Portuguese composer and pianist specializing in jazz and contemporary music. He has also written books, essays, and articles on music.

Career

Having obtained a degree in history at the University of Porto, he studied music at the Rotterdam Conservatory from 1987 to 1990 and graduated with a degree in Musical Composition. In 1991, he began teaching musical composition at the Escola Superior de Música in Lisbon. His first jazz album was Outros Lugares. He also wrote soundtracks for Portuguese films and theatrical plays.
Since his return from the Netherlands he has mainly been a classical composer, having written operas, orchestral and ensemble pieces, and works recorded by the Arditti Quartet, Galliard Ensemble, Royal Scottish Academy Brass, and the Northern Sinfonia.

Ensemble

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
First Performance: Anssi Karttunen and Remix Ensemble, dir: Frank Ollu, Porto, 2005
for Ensemble
fl; ob; cl; bcl, fg; 2 perc; pf; vl I; vl II; vla; vlc; cb;
Duration: 12 '
Commissioned by: Fundação Oriente
First Performance: OchestrUtópica, dir. Yu- Feng, Lisboa, 2003
for 12 instruments
fl; ob; cl, cor; fg;; pf; perc; vln I ; vl II; vla; vlc; cb
Duration: 10'
Commissioned by: Foundation Calouste Gulbenkian
First Performance: Ensemble Nuova Sincronia, dir. Renato Rivolta, Lisboa and Milano, 1997
for 10 instruments
fl, cl1, cl/clb, fg/cfg, tp, cr, tbn, pf, vln, vlc,
Duration: 17'
Commissioned by: Professional School of Music – Almada
First Performance: Soloists from Orq. Sinfónica Portuguesa, Lisboa
for 10 instruments
fl; cl; c.i.clb; vib/mar; cel/pf vln I vla; vlc; cb
Duration: 12'
Commissioned by:
First Performance: Performance: Ensemble RC, dir. Arie Van Beck, Amsterdam
for Opus Ensemble
ob/c.i.,vla, cb, pf.
Duration: 12'
Commissioned by: RTP
First Performance: Soloists from Rotterdam's Conservatorium, Amsterdam

Orchestra

for Violino and Orquestra
Commissioned by CCN
First Performance February 2016, Tamila Kharambura, violin, Orquestra Metropolitana de Lisboa dir. Gary Walker
para Orquestra
Commissioned by Orquestra Clássica do Sul
First Performance July–August 2014
Duration:12'
Commissioned by: Guimarães Capital Europeia da Cultura.
First Performance: Orq. Estúdio Guimarães, dir. Rui Massena, Outubro2012, Auditório do CC Vila Flor.
for Orchestra, 3 narrators prerecorded and electronics
Commissioned by Casa da Música, Centro Cultural de Belém e Teatro de São Carlos, for the composer's 60 birthday
First Performance: OS CdM, dir. Christopher Konig, 1-10- 11,
Second performance: OSP, dir. Diego Masson, 17 – 1 -12,
for orchestra
Duration: 12 '
Commissioned by: Centro Cultural de Belém
First Performance: Orq. Metropolitana de Lisboa, dir. MICHAEL ZILM,
Abril 2009
Grande Auditório do CCB
for speaker and orchestra
Duration: 12 '
Commissioned by: Orquestra Metropolitana de Lisboa
First Performance: Orq. Sinfónica Portuguesa, dir. MICHAEL ZILM,
Dezembro 2007
Pequeno Auditório do CCB
for large orchestra
Duration: 25 '
Commissioned by: Teatro Nacional de São Carlos
First Performance: Orq. Sinfónica Portuguesa, dir. LOTHAR KÖNIGS, Março
2006, Grande Auditório do CCB
for orchestra and percussion obligato

Duration: 8 '
Commissioned by: Teatro Nacional de S. Carlos
First Performance: Orq. Sinfónica Portuguesa dir. Donato Renzentti, Lisboa, 2004
for piano solo and orchestra
Duration: 18 '
Commissioned by: International Music Festival of Coimbra
First Performance: Orq. Gulbenkian, dir. Yu Feng; piano: Anne Kaasa, Coimbra, 2004
for string orchestra
Duration: 15'
Commissioned by:
First Performance: Orq. Nacional do Porto, dir. Cesário Costa, V.N. Gaia
for orchestra
;
Duration: 20 '
Commissioned by: Foundation Calouste Gulbenkian
First Performance: Orq. Gulbenkian, dir. Michael Zilm, Lisboa, 2001
for piano, percussion and orchestra
; strings A ; strings B
Duration: 19 '
Commissioned by: Teatro Nacional de São Carlos
http://www.mic.pt/
First Performance: Orq. Sinfónica Portuguesa, dir. António Saiote.
Piano: Miguel Henriques, Percussion: Elizabeth Davies, Lisboa, 1998
for orchestra and jazz trio
Duration: 20 '
Commissioned by: Comissão Portuguesa dos Descobrimentos
First Performance: Orq. Gulbenkian, dir. Michel Swiertchevisky, Lisboa.
GEOMETRAL
for Orchestra
Duration: 20 '
Commissioned by: Foundation Calouste Gulbenkian
First Performance: Orq. Gulbenkian, dir. Michel Tabachnik, Lisboa, 1989

Chamber music

for string quartet and piano
Duration: 9'
Commissioned by: Síntese, GMCG
First Performance:
version for flute and piano
Duration: 9'
Commissioned by: Luís Meireles 2010
First Performance:
for String Quartet
Commissioned by Instituto Superior Técnico de Lisboa
First performance: Quarteto de Cordas de Matosinhos at IST, July 2012
for violin and piano
Duration: 10'
Commissioned by: Centro Cultural de Belém
First Performance: 29-5-2011
for clarinet and piano
Duration: 9'
Commissioned by: António Saiote 2010
First Performance:
for Sond'art Ensemble
Duration: 1'
Commissioned by: para os 25 anos do MisoMusic Portugal – 2010
First Performance: 14 April 2010, Instituto Franco-Português
for String Quartet
Duration: 11'
Commissioned by: XXX Festival Internacional de Música da Povoa de Varzim
First Performance: Quarteto Verazin, Póvoa de Varzim, 2008
for 2 violins

Duration: 6 '
Commissioned by: Movimentos Perpétuos
First Performance: Aníbal Lima e Pedro Pacheco, Lisboa, 2003
for 6 percussionists

Duration: 6 '
Commissioned by: Drumming
First Performance: Drumming, dir. Miguel Bernat, 2002
for 2 pianos
Duration: 15 '
Commissioned by:
First Performance: Miguel Henriques, Ana Valente, Lisboa, 2001
for 2 trumpets or 2 recorders
Duration: 6 '
Commissioned by: International Music Festival of Mafra
First Performance: John Wallace, John Miller, Mafra, 2001
for clarinet trio
Duration: 15 '
Commissioned by:
First Performance: Cl: António Saiote, Vlc: Jed Barahal, Pf: António Rosado, Póvoa de Varzim, 2001
for barítone and piano
Duration: 18'
Commissioned by:
First Performance: Paulo Ferreira, Jaime Mota, Porto, 2000
for 6 percussionists
Duration: 25'
Commissioned by:
First Performance: Drumming, dir. Miguel Bernat, Lisboa, 2000
for 4 instruments
Duration: 10'
Commissioned by: "Sven for Parlor"
First Performance: "Sven for Parlor", Athens, 1997
for voice e piano
Duration: 25'
Commissioned by: Encontros Primavera de Guimarães
First Performance: Rui Taveira, Jaime Mota, Guimarães, 1995
for string sextet
Duration: 8'
Commissioned by: Câmara Municipal do Porto
First Performance: Sextuor L'Artois de Lille, Porto, 1994
for string quartet
Duration: 15'
Commissioned by: Câmara Municipal do Porto para as Jornadas de Arte Contemporânea de 1993
http://www.mic.pt/
First Performance: Ensemble MusikFabrik, Porto, 1993
for string orchestra
Duration: 6'
Commissioned by: Orquestra Metropolitana de Lisboa
First Performance: Orq. Metropolitana de Lisboa,
dir. Miguel Graça Moura, Lisboa, 1992
for flute and string quartet
Duration: 6'
Commissioned by: Oficina Musical
First Performance: Oficina Musical,
dir. Álvaro Salazar, Porto, 1990
for saxophone quartet
alto/soprano; alto; tenor; baritone
Duration: 8'
Commissioned by:
First Performance: Quarteto de Saxofones de Lisboa, Lisboa, 1989
for flute and clarinet
alto/soprano; alto; tenor; baritone
Duration: 6'
Commissioned by: Oficina Musical
First Performance: Eduardo Lucena, Américo Aguiar, Porto, 1984

Opera, Oratoria

Choir a cappella
Commissioned by Paulo Lourenço
First performance: May 2014
Choir and Orchestra
Commissioned by Culturgest
First performance: Choir and Orchestra Gulbenkian, dir. Cesário Costa, 11/12 Oct. 2013
Choir and Orchestra
Duration: 30'
Commissioned by Fundação Calouste Gulbenkian
First performance: Choir and Orchestra Gulbenkian, dir. Joana Carneiro, 21/22 Nov. 2012
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
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
First Performance: Eduarda Melo, Matthew Bean, Ivan Ludlow
Remix Ensemble, dir. Franck Ollu, Lisboa, 1996
for choir and orchestra
Large Choir; ;
Duration: 30'
Commissioned by: Festival de Música Sacra de Viana do Castelo
First Performance: Choir and Orq. Gulbenkian
dir. Fernando Eldoro, 2002
opera
8 singers; Large Choir; ; Strings
Libretto: Manuel Gusmão
Duration: 105'
Commissioned by: Expo'98
First Performance: Orq. Sinfónica Portuguesa, Choir from Teatro Nacional de S. Carlos,
dir. João Paulo Santos, Lisboa, 1998
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
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:
First Performance: Coro de Câmara de Lisboa,
dir. Teresita Gutierrez Marques, Lisboa, 1994

Solo

!Title !!Year !!Instrument !!Duration !!Published by !!Commissioned by !!1st performance
for Vibrafone Solo || 6' || Auditório da Academia de Música de Espinho || Miquel Bernat, 2011
for Cello Solo || 12' || Conservatório de Música das Caldas de Rainha || Nuno Abreu, Caldas de Rainha, 2008
for harpsichord ||14' ||International Music Festival of Mafra ||Instituto Camões, 2003 ||Ana Mafalda Castro, Mafra
for piano ||26' ||International Music Festival of Coimbra ||Partituras PortugalSom; www.dgartes.pt ||Miguel Henriques, Coimbra.
for guitar ||3' ||Cecilia Colien Honneger ||Cecilia Colien Honneger Album; https://web.archive.org/web/20080920114718/http://www.editions-ava.com/store/category/88/ ||Gabriel Estrahellas, Madrid.
for piano ||9' ||Secretaria de Estado da Cultura ||Musicoteca, 1994; Portuguese Music Information Centre http://www.mic.pt/ ||Paul Prenen, Amsterdam, 1990.
for clarinet solo ||5' ||Oficina Musical, 1995 ||António Saiote, Lisboa.
for flute solo ||4' ||Calouste Gulbenkian School of Braga ||-- ||Olavo Tengner, Jorge Salgado, Braga,.

Film music

Directed by João Botelho
Directed by José Fonseca e Costa