Vítor Matos (1977) studied at Braga and Oporto’s music academies. Supervised by professors José Matos and Moreira Jorge he obtained his degree on clarinet. He got his degree from ESMAE in 2001, supervised by professors António Saiote, Carlos Alves and Luís Silva. He attended complementary classes with Professors António Saiote, Michel Arrignon, Paul Mayer, Guy Deplus and Philippe Cupper. Since 2000 he regularly studied with clarinetist Alessandro Carbonare, in Italy. Invited by Santo Antonio dos Portugueses Institute, he performed several music recitals, where he played several premiered pieces, in particular Concerto para Clarinete e Orquestra, dedicated to him by composer Joaquim dos Santos.
As an instrumentist, Vítor Matos cooperated with Orquestra do Norte, Sinfonieta do Porto, Orquestra de Câmara Musicare, Filarmónica das Beiras and Gulbenkian. He performed solo and chamber music at the following internationals music festivals: Encontros de Primavera-Guimarães, Póvoa do Varzim, Gaia, Cascais, Mateus, Toulouse and Música Viva.
He studied orchestral conducting with maestro Cesário Costa. Vítor Matos regularly conducts orchestras such as Orquestra do Norte, Orquestra Estúdio, Orquestra de Câmara do Minho, Orquestra Académica of University of Minho, Conservatory’s Orchestra, Kaiserslautern Theater and South Radio Orchestra from Germany. He was maestros Ferreira Lobo and Gunther Arglebe assistant at the Carmen (Bizet) and Elixir d’Amore (G. Donizzetti). He conducted B. Britten's The Little Sweep and Noye’s Fludde operas, and Bizet’s Carmen, all nationals productions. During Guimarães 2012 European Capital of Culture, he conducted the opera L'enfant et les sortilèges by Maurice Ravel. Over the years, he had the opportunity to conduct distinguished solo musicians such as Elisabete Matos, Patrizia Porgio, Peter Arnold, Ilya Grubert, Dora Rodrigues Luís Pipa, Angêlo Martingo, Pavel Gomziakov, Samuel Bastos, among others.
Vítor Matos was awarded several times for his performance in orchestral conducting, namely in Barcelona and Rome (Awards Bachetta d’oro for best maestro, and Bacheta de argento for best interpretation).
In 2007, he conducted the Symphonic Orchestra School of Madrid at the specialization courses in Contemporary music and Orchestral Conducting, at University of Alcala de Henares (Madrid) with maestros Arturo Tamayo and Jesus Lopez Coboz.
The teaching experience includes masterclasses in Guimarães (internationals courses), Professionals Music Schools of Viana do Castelo and Jobra, Madeira, Hochschule of Kaisreslautern. In his class he had several awardee students in national and international competitions.
In December 2010, he acted as jury at the Music Chamber and Clarinet International Competition Marco Fiorindo, Turin.
Invited by the Presidency of the Portuguese Republic, he conducted the Orquestra do Norte on 10 June 2006, Portugal's National Day.
He was named maestro and artistic director of the Sub-21 and Sub-12 orchestras by the Guimarães 2012 European Capital of Culture.
Currently, Vítor Matos is Assistant Professor at the Department of Music of ILCH - University of Minho. He is Chief Conductor of the Orquestra de Guimarães.
Vítor Matos holds a PhD at the University of Évora in Music, Musicology and Interpretation.
Vítor Matos plays the SELMER Recital clarinets.
