BIOGRAPHY

Pedro Teixeira is one of Europe’s foremost choral conductors. Between 2012 and 2017 he held the title of choral director of Coro de la Comunidad de Madrid, where in addition to preparing large-scale symphonic and choral works, he was noted for fine-tuning the choir’s sound through a series of a cappella concerts. 

Born in Lisbon, Pedro attained a Masters degree in Choral Conducting at Escola Superior de Música de Lisboa, gaining much performance experience as the artistic director of Grupo Coral de Queluz (2000-2012) and Eborae Musica (1997-2013). Since then, he has become widely known in the choral world for his insightful and sensitive performances. Pedro specializes in building and maintaining the core sound, pureness of vocal emission and musicality of choirs with whom he works.

Pedro’s ongoing interest in early music led him to form Officium Ensemble, a professional vocal group dedicated to the research and interpretation of Portuguese Polyphony of the 16th and 17th centuries. Since 2000 he has performed widely with Officium Ensemble in prestigious early music festivals such as Oude Muziek (Utrecht), Laus Polyphoniæ (Antwerp), won prizes internationally (including “Most promising conductor of Tonen 2002”) and has recording projects planned. In addition to his interest in renaissance music, Pedro is dedicated to contemporary music and, as the director of Ricercare Choir in Lisbon, presents several world premieres per season.

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After singing in its renowned choir for several years, in 2011 Pedro was invited to prepare programmes with Coro Gulbenkian, Lisbon, and continued his collaboration as an invited conductor until 2014. Recent work with Coro Gulbenkian included Bach’s B Minor Mass, Verdi’s Falstaff, Händel’s Solomon and MacMillan’s Seven Last Words from the Cross. As a singer, Pedro has performed throughout Europe, the USA, South America, Africa, and the UK, with groups such as Coro Gulbenkian, A Cappella Portuguesa, and Coro Gregoriano de Lisboa, with whom he continues performing as a soloist.

Pedro is also in demand as a teacher of choral conducting. For 20 years he has been the artistic director of the international workshop Evora Cathedral Music School and now also leads several masterclasses and summerschools. These include Victoria 400 in Barcelona (with Peter Phillips, Ivan Moody and Jordí Abelló) and Early Music Morella - International Course on Medieval and Renaissance Music, where he leads the vocal ensemble workshop. He also teaches choral conducting and chamber music at Escola Superior de Educação de Lisboa and Escola Superior de Música de Lisboa.

Pedro’s continued activity as choirmaster have led to several invitations as international adjudicator in choir competitions and festivals, namely Lisbon (Lisbon Summer Choral Festival), Hong-Kong (Winter Choral Festival) and Badajoz (Gran Premio Nacional de Canto Coral - Spain).

Pedro has prepared choirs in collaboration with conductors such as John Nelson, Joana Carneiro, Enrico Onofri, Lorenzo Viotti, Víctor Pablo Perez, Riccardo Muti, Paul McCreesh, Lawrence Foster, and Esa-Pekka Salonen. Recent highlights include Haydn’s Creation, Britten’s War Requiem and Ravel’s Daphnis et Chloé at Auditorio Nacional de Musica (Madrid), Verdi’s Falstaff at Gulbenkian Foundation (Lisbon) and Verdi’s Requiem at Teatro Real de Madrid.

In addition to his ongoing projects with Officium Ensemble and Coro Ricercare, in 2018 Pedro returned to Coro Gulbenkian to prepare and conduct his own programme Alma at the auditorium of Fundação Gulbenkian. Recent concerts with Officium Ensemble included a return to Utrecht Early Music Festival (Oude Muziek) and Laus Polyphoniæ in Antwerp, as well as other projects with Coro Gulbenkian and others.