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University of York Music PressUYMP

18 December 2024

Luís Tinoco wins the Pessoa Prize 2024

UYMP offers huge congratulations to composer Luís Tinoco, who has been awarded the Pessoa Prize 2024, the most prestigious award in Portugal in the fields of the sciences and the arts. Named after Fernando Pessoa, the prize was initiated by the Expresso newspaper, sponsored by Caixa Geral de Depósitos, and aims to recognize Portuguese people who play a significant role in the country's cultural and scientific life.

This is just the third time in 38 years of the Pessoa Prize that a representative in the Music profession has been honoured. Only pianist Maria João Pires (1989) and composer Emanuel Nunes (2000) have preceded Luís Tinoco. The choice was welcomed by the Minister of Culture who, in a statement, recognized Tinoco's “commitment to teaching and training young musicians and his ability to project Portuguese musical creation across borders, with a unique and innovative artistic language.” Musicologist Rui Vieira Nery, one of the members of the jury, explained that they reached a firm consensus on Luís Tinoco as winner of the prize.

Tinoco's most recent monographic album – “Aleppo and other silences” (2022) - was awarded the Portuguese Authors' Society Award, in the Classical Music category in 2023. More recently, in March, the London Philharmonic Orchestra, conducted by Edward Gardner, gave the UK premiere of his Accordion Concerto, written for João Barradas (soloist).

The Expresso newspaper cites Tinoco: 'We need to educate young people to like music that is not for immediate consumption'. The newspaper applauds Tinoco, for being 'a composer who never hesitated on the path he chose, the most difficult in classical music, which does not fill arenas but challenges listeners'.

The complete news article is available to read at the Expresso online.   

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