João Pedro Brandão
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saxofonista, flautista, compositor, improvisador, é um dos principais impulsionadores da música improvisada no Porto, tendo fundado a Porta-Jazz a qual dirige desde a sua génese.
Estudou na ESMAE-Porto concluindo a licenciatura em Jazz 2007, Mestrado Interpretação 2012 e Mestrado Ensino 2014. Estudou no Lemmensinstitut (Bélgica) 2007.
Em 2011 criou o CORETO, ensemble de 12 músicos que atuou nas principais salas em Portugal, gravando 3 álbuns com a sua música: A Tribo (2021), Analog (2017), Aljamia (2012); Todos aclamados pela crítica.
Gravou “Trama no Navio” (2020) um projeto para reinterpretar em formato de câmara a música que escreveu para orquestra OJM musicar o Filme “Couraçado Poutenkim”. Com apoio da DGartes, foi apresentado na Lituânia, Áustria, Alemanha, Suíça, Hungria, Egito e Espanha.
Desde 2009 integra a Orquestra de Jazz de Matosinhos como instrumentista, arranjador e assumindo a direção musical de alguns projetos (“Novos Talentos” e o projeto “Today is the Question”).
Recebeu encomendas da orquestra de jazz de Espinho e de Leiria.
Estreou (2025), o Ensemble de 30 músicos “Ursa Maior”, dedicado à música improvisada.
Colabora na sonoplastia da Companhia de Teatro Musgo, desde a sua formação em 2012.
Criou a música/sonoplastia para “HENDA I XALA Saudade que fica” de Wura Moraes, apresentado no DDD 2024.
Com os músicos Demian Cabaud, Marcos Cavaleiro e as bailarinas Ana Rita Xavier e Wura Morais, criou o espetáculo “Aether – Cruzamento” apoiado pela DGartes, em circulação em 24/25.
Destacam-se ainda outros projetos na área da música improvisada:
Bode Wilson – Brandao/Cavaleiro/Cabaud (Carimbo Porta-Jazz 2022, 2017, 2014);
Vera Morais “É Apenas Um Pouco Tarde” (CPJ 2024);
Demian Cabaud Quinteto (CPJ 2024, 2021);
Alma Tree – Alves, Moses, Trilla (CPJ 2024);
Pedro Melo Alves Omniae Large Ensemble “Lumina” (Clean Feed, 2021),
Susana Santos Silva (CPJ 2020, 2015);
Internacionalmente colabora com Almut Kühne, Alfred Vogel, Leo Genovese, Lucia Martinez, entre muitos outros.
É professor no Conservatório de Música do Porto
Paralelamente à actividade musical estudou Engenharia Química na Faculdade de Engenharia da Universidade do Porto tendo finalizado a licenciatura em Julho 2000.
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Saxophonist, flutist, composer, and improviser, he is one of the leading forces behind improvised music in Porto, having founded Porta-Jazz, which he has directed since its inception.
He studied at ESMAE-Porto, earning a Bachelor’s degree in Jazz in 2007, a Master’s in Performance in 2012, and a Master’s in Music Education in 2014. He also studied at the Lemmensinstituut (Belgium) in 2007.
In 2011, he created CORETO, a 12-piece ensemble that has performed in major venues across Portugal and released three critically acclaimed albums of his music: A Tribo (2021), Analog (2017), and Aljamia (2012).
He recorded Trama no Navio (2020), a chamber reinterpretation of music he originally wrote for Jazz Orchestra (OJM) to accompany the film Battleship Potemkin. Supported by DGArtes, this project was presented in Lithuania, Austria, Germany, Switzerland, Hungary, Egypt, and Spain.
Since 2009, he has been part of the Matosinhos Jazz Orchestra (OJM) as an instrumentalist and arranger, also taking on the musical direction of several projects (“Novos Talentos” and “Today is the Question”).
He has received commissions from the jazz orchestras of Espinho and Leiria.
In 2025, he premiered “Ursa Maior,” a 30-musician ensemble dedicated to improvised music.
He has collaborated on sound design with the teather company Musgo since its founding in 2012.
He created the music/sound design for HENDA I XALA Saudade que fica by Wura Moraes, presented at DDD 2024.
Together with musicians Demian Cabaud, Marcos Cavaleiro, and dancers Ana Rita Xavier and Wura Morais, he created the piece Aether – Cruzamento, supported by DGArtes, touring in 2024/25.
Other notable projects in the field of improvised music include:
Bode Wilson – Brandão/Cavaleiro/Cabaud (Carimbo Porta-Jazz 2022, 2017, 2014);
Vera Morais É Apenas Um Pouco Tarde (CPJ 2024);
Demian Cabaud Quintet (CPJ 2024, 2021);
Alma Tree – Alves, Moses, Trilla (CPJ 2024);
Pedro Melo Alves Omniae Large Ensemble Lumina (Clean Feed, 2021);
Susana Santos Silva (CPJ 2020, 2015).
Internationally, he has collaborated with Almut Kühne, Alfred Vogel, Leo Genovese, Lucia Martinez, among many others.
He is a teacher at the Porto Music Conservatory.
Alongside his musical career, he also studied Chemical Engineering at the Faculty of Engineering of the University of Porto, completing his degree in July 2000.
joao pedro brandao 