João Vaz

Born in Lisbon, João Vaz graduated in organ from the Escola Superior de Música de Lisboa, studying with Antoine Sibertin-Blanc, and from the Conservatorio Superior de Música de Aragón, in Zaragoza, where he studied with José Luis González Uriol, on a scholarship from the Gulbenkian Foundation. He holds a doctorate in music and musicology from the Universidade de Évora, with a research on Portuguese organ music from the end of the Ancien Regime. He has been extremely active internationally, both as a performer and as a teacher on organ courses, or a jury member in competitions. He has made several solo recordings, especially on Portuguese historic organs. As performer and musicologist he has paid particular attention to Portuguese sacred music, founding in 2006 the ensemble Capella Patriarchal, which he directs. He is Organ Professor at the Escola Superior de Música de Lisboa, as well as artistic director of the Madeira Organ Festival and of the concert series featuring the six organs of the Basilica of the National Palace of Mafra and the historic organ of the Church of São Vicente de Fora in Lisbon, of which he became titular organist in 1997.