Cristina Fernandes

Biography

Cristina Fernandes is an Assistant Researcher (2023.11076.TENURE.208) at INET-md (NOVA FCSH), where she leads the research group “Historical and Cultural Studies in Music” and integrates the Board of Directors. In 2022 she was awarded with an FCT Grant under the 5th edition of the Individual Scientific Employment Stimulus Competition with the project Music, Performing Arts and Diplomacy in the 18th century: Portuguese networks in the international stage (CEECIND/03493/2022) and between 2020 and 2022 she was the Co-PI of the project PROFMUS-To be a musician in Portugal: the social and professional condition of musicians in Lisbon (INET-md, funded by FCT). She was part of the team for the ERC project PerformArt – Promoting, Patronising and Practicing the Arts in Roman Aristocratic Families (1644-1740). The Contribution of Roman Families’ Archives to the History of Performing Arts (IP: Anne-Madeleine Goulet; host institutions: CNRS, École Française de Rome, 2016-2022) and collaborated on several research projects in Spain based at the Universidad de La Rioja and the Universidad Complutense of Madrid.

Born in Guarda (Portugal), she studied piano at the Conservatório de Música da Covilhã before graduating in Musical Sciences at NOVA FCSH. She completed a master degree in Musicology at the same institution and received her PhD from the University de Évora (Portugal) in 2010. Between 2011 and 2017 she carried out a post-doctoral project on the musical practices and the ceremonial of the Royal and Patriarchal Chapel of Lisbon (1716-1834), with a research grant from FCT, and between 2015 and 2017 she coordinated the thematic line of INET-md “Historical Approaches to Musical Performance”. She is the author of several books and articles on 18th century music and culture, among other subjects, as well of numerous articles for the general public as music critic for the newspaper Público. She taught at music schools of different levels, including the the Escola das Artes (Universidade Católica Portuguesa-Porto) and the department of Musical Sciences (NOVA FCSH). Between 2015 and 2021 she was a member of the Directive Board of SPIM-Portuguese Society for Music Research.

Main research interests: Music in the 18th century; Music and royal power; Music and diplomacy; Historical performance practices of music and dance; Socio-professional status of the musicians; Music and Women’s Studies; Music criticism.