João Vaz

Born in Lisbon, João Vaz studied organ under Antoine Sibertin-Blanc in Lisbon and José Luis González Uriol in Zaragoza. He also worked with Edouard Souberbielle and Joaquim Simões da Hora, acquiring a strong interest in Early Music. He holds a doctorate in Music and Musicology, with a dissertation on the decline of Portuguese classical organ tradition in the mid-1800’s. Having developed a worldwide career, he is often invited to play in prestigious organ festivals, as well as to teach in performance courses and to act as a jury member in international organ competitions. In 2016 he founded Capella Patriarchal, a group especially devoted to the performance of Portuguese sacred music. His interest in Portuguese organ music is reflected in his several CD recordings (most of them performed on Portuguese historic organs) and in his musicological work (articles and musical editions). João Vaz holds the position of organ teacher at the Escola Superior de Música de Lisboa and at the University of Évora. He is also artistic director of the Madeira Organ Festival and of the concert series featuring the six organs of the Basilica of the National Palace of Mafra (for the restoration of which he was a permanent consultant) and of the historic organ of the Church of São Vicente de Fora in Lisbon, of which he became titular organist in 1997.