José Brandão
Composer
Composer and performer, José Brandão was born in Oliveira de Azeméis (Aveiro, Portugal) in 2000. He studied composition at ESMAE between 2018 and 2021 under Rui Penha, Dimitris Andrikopoulos, Carlos Azevedo, and took other lectures under teachers such as Alessandro Bossetti, Dirk d'Ase, Miguel Azguime, Nicholas Cook, Jonathan Ayerst and Panayiotis Kokoros He has participated in masterclasses with composers João Pedro Oliveira, Dirk D'Ase and Panayiotis Kokoros.
He has explored various themes in his composition, often drawing inspiration from arts such as poetry, photography and video. He’s able to use both acoustic and electronic resources in his music, often merging them together.
He won first prize in the FOLEFEST - 2020 composition competition with the piece Uma Última Reflexão, for solo accordion and ensemble, honorable mention in the Banda Sinfónica Portuguesa (BSP) - 2020 composition competition with the piece Eclipse da Auto-Degradação for symphonic band, second prize in the SPA/Antena 2 composition competition with the piece Ritual, for symphonic orchestra, and first prize in the 2020 Sayat Nova International Composition Competition with the piece Weep, Weep my muse.
His work was performed in Carnegie Hall, Greenwitch House Music School, Casa da Música, Teatro Helena Sá e Costa and at ESML.