João Vaz

Born in Lisbon, João Vaz holds a doctorate in Music and Musicology from the University of Évora, with a dissertation on Portuguese organ music in the mid-1800’s. He also holds degrees in Organ from the Escola Superior de Música de Lisboa, where he studied with Antoine Sibertin-Blanc in Lisbon and from the Conservatorio Superior de Música de Aragón in Zaragoza, where he worked with José Luis González Uriol. His interest in Portuguese organ music is reflected in his several CD recordings (most of them performed on Portuguese historic organs) and in his research work (articles and musical editions). Having developed a worldwide career, he is often invited to play in prestigious organ festivals, as well as to teach in performance courses and to act as a jury member in international organ competitions. In 2016 he founded Capella Patriarchal, a group especially devoted to the performance of Portuguese sacred music. João Vaz holds the position of organ teacher at the Escola Superior de Música de Lisboa. He is also 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 (for the restoration of which he was a permanent consultant) and of the historic organ of the Church of São Vicente de Fora in Lisbon, of which he became titular organist in 1997.