Filipe Fonseca

Filipe Fonseca (born in 1987) began his musical studies at the age of 12. Throughout his academic career, he studied with professors Paulo Botelho, Francisco Ferreira, Henk van Twillert, Fernando Ramos, and Gilberto Bernardes. He graduated with a degree in saxophone from the Escola Superior de Música e Artes do Espetáculo in 2008 and a master’s degree in music education from the Universidade Católica Portuguesa in 2018, both with top marks. In the field of orchestral conducting, he has had the opportunity to work with conductors Jan Cober (PB), José Rafael Pascual Vilaplana (ES), Francisco Ferreira (PT), Peter Rundel (GER), Joana Carneiro (PT), and Mark Heron (UK).

He has won several awards as a conductor, notably first prize in the following competitions: Warsaw Wind Band Conducting Competition, Poland, 2023; Winner and Silver Baton Award (best conductor) at the Braga Philharmonic Band Competition, 2018 (as conductor of the Sociedade Artística e Musical Fafense – Banda de Golães). He was also a semi-finalist in the Young Musicians Award, in the Orchestra Conducting category, 2022. As a saxophonist, he has also won multiple awards, obtaining first prizes for saxophone in the following competitions: Concorso Internazionale di Musica Marco Fiorindo – Turin, 2005; Concurso Vítor Santos –  FISPalmela, 2005; Concorso per Giovanni Interpreti Cita di Chieri, 2007 (in the categories of solo saxophone and chamber music, with the Vento do Norte Saxophone Ensemble); II Concurso Nacional de Instrumentos de Sopro Terras de La Salette, 2009. 

He founded and debuted the Ensemble Polaris in 2021. He has performed as a soloist with the Espinho Classical Orchestra, Turin Philharmonic Orchestra, Portuguese Symphonic Band, and Porto Military Band. He has recorded as a soloist with the Melres and Cinfães bands. In 2008 and 2009, he worked as an assistant professor at ESMAE – Porto, conducting the Portuguese Saxophone Orchestra. He has performed in numerous concerts throughout Portugal, as well as in Belgium, the Netherlands, and Venezuela (in collaboration with the Venezuelan Children’s and Youth Orchestras project – El Sistema). 

As guest conductor, worked with ensembles such as the Orquestra do Norte, the Banda Sinfónica Portuguesa, the Portuguese Brass Ensemble, the EPABI-Covilhã Wind Orchestra, the Vermoim Philharmonic Orchestra, the Palmela Regional Conservatory Wind Orchestra, and the Banda de Lagares – Penafiel. He has led orchestra internships at the Costa Cabral Music Academy and also at the IX Alvarenga Wind Orchestra. He has also been regularly active in the opera field, collaborating and conducting projects at the AMVP Opera Studio.

Currently, Filipe teaches saxophone, chamber music, and orchestra at the Vilar do Paraíso Music Academy. From 2009 to 2017, he served as conductor and artistic director of the Banda Musical São Tiago de Silvalde. Since 2018, he has been conductor and artistic director of the Sociedade Artística e Musical Fafense – Banda de Golães. In 2024, he took on the role of Artistic Director and Principal Conductor of the Banda Musical de São Tiago Silvalde.

He is currently attending the Doctoral Program in Orchestral Conducting at the University of Aveiro, and is also a member of INET-md.

Doctoral Project

Title
The Orchestra’s performance in rehearsal: use of metaphor as a strategy for emotional connection and performative harmony by the Conductor

Advisor
António Vassalo Lourenço

Abstract
This research focuses on the study of metaphor as a strategy and rehearsal resource used by conductors. It seeks to analyze its potential as a catalyst for imagination and creativity, while also assessing how it can contribute to emotional and social engagement that optimizes musicians’ expressive practice in the repertoire performed. The goal is to improve and develop the use of this strategy, both individually and for an entire community of conductors.

Keywords
Conductor; Orchestral conducting; Metaphor; emotional bonding; Performative harmony; Rehearsal; gesture; Imagination; criativity.