PERMANENT SEMINAR IN HISTORICAL AND CULTURAL STUDIES IN MUSIC
The Permanent Seminar of the research group Historical and Cultural Studies in Music of INET-md intends to be a forum where all its members (integrated and collaborators), as well as other invited researchers from the academic, cultural and artistic circles, may present their work and discuss ongoing projects and research.
28-04-2025 | 5 PM | Online
Free access, in person and online.
Sala Zoom
Meeting ID: 997 5074 0703
Pass code: 002860
European Piano Schools in the 20th century: Personality and aesthetic identity of the performers
Sofia Lourenço | INET-md / NOVA FCSH
The aim of this study is to characterize representative performances of pianists, by assessing essential lines and main trends in performative practice, referred to as National Piano Schools. Studies and previous research demonstrate the existence of national traditions of specific interpretative practices of defined communities of pianists who share similar characteristics, of an aesthetic, technical, historical and repertoire nature. Primary sources were analyzed, namely, piano pedagogy literature, articulated as a methodology for empirical analysis of audio examples and the application of a qualitative evaluation grid. The main National Piano Schools are divided into three main groups: the Russian School, the French School and the German School. Its systematic identification and study protect and value the heritage of the intangible heritage of music of European origin in the understanding of processes of identification, mediation and hybridization in musical practice and communication.
Sofia Lourenço | Pianist from Porto with several albums released and the most praiseworthy reviews. She has an active career as a soloist in Portugal and abroad, with highlights including recitals in Paris (Centre Culturel Portugais, Fondation Calouste Gulbenkian, 2002), Mainz, Berlin, St. Petersburg, Salzburg, Vienna, at the Shanghai Oriental Art Center (SHOAC, 2018) and at the Art Link Belgrade Music Festival (2019), as well as numerous concerts with several national orchestras. She has always dedicated a large part of her piano and teaching activities to the repertoire of Portuguese composers, researching scattered and practically unknown scores. She currently works as a coordinating professor with tenure at ESMAE, Instituto Politécnico do Porto and is a researcher at INET-md (NOVA FCSH). She has been researching the theme of European piano schools since 2002. Her recent album “Caminos Andaluces” (2024) dedicated to Helena Sá e Costa, in addition to extremely positive reviews, was awarded last December with the “Global Music Awards” in the categories of Silver Medal: contemporary classical and Silver Medal: album.
