Your repertoire often highlights composers such as Satie, Otte or Mompou, figures associated with silence, contemplation, or experimentation. What draws you to this kind of music?

In a time when it seems you have to scream in order to be heard, I feel I need to do the opposite - I like to play music that is quiet and makes you calmer.

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Do you have specific criteria when deciding which composers or works to place at the centre of your programmes?

My decisions always come from an emotional perspective. Usually, I connect with the music or the composer and feel that it needs to be heard by more people. Also, there are composers who are performed every day all over the world, I don’t want to contribute to that homogeneity. There is so much interesting music that deserves to be heard.

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You have developed several formats for children, bringing ecological themes - trees, birds, mushrooms - into music. Why is this important to you, and what role does ecology play in your artistic vision?

In recent years, I’ve felt that I want to speak about nature in my work, to use art as a vehicle for ecological thought. We are part of a system, and unfortunately humans tend to forget that. If we learn more about what makes up our world, we develop respect, empathy, and the ability to marvel at the wonders around us. That fuels our imagination and creativity.

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Even in concerts for adults, you often include commentary or special settings. Which forms of mediation do you find most effective in opening audiences up to unfamiliar repertoire?

Diversity is the key. I try to sense what fits each project best in order to enhance the experience. Sometimes, commentary helps the audience to connect more deeply with the music, and I adapt what I say depending on who is in the room. On the other hand, I’m very drawn to architecture, I sometimes walk into a space and immediately think, I would love to play here.

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You have already performed with us three times, across two different festivals. How did you experience working with us, and what impressions stayed with you?

It was always enjoyable!

 

What aspects of our festivals (organisation, atmosphere, audience) stood out most to you?

It was always a pleasure to play in the two festivals and I liked the cozy atmosphere.

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Thinking ahead: what kinds of formats, venues, or themes would you imagine for a future collaboration with us? 

I like small rooms and small audiences, so that we are all closer to each other. So I think that informal venues would work well with my repertoire. Also, As I like to work with children, maybe it would be nice to think about a project that would involve them.

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With projects like SATIE.150 and the Hans Otte Festival: Sound of Sounds, you created formats that had almost a festival character. What was the biggest difference between that curatorial role and your work as a performer?

I like to understand what surrounds the music, to know about the composers and their work beyond composition. So SATIE.150 and the Hans Otte Festival were natural extensions of my work as a performer. To speak about Satie, it’s important to understand his character, his writings, drawings, and experiments with time and repetition. And with Hans Otte, it was fascinating to discover such a gentle person behind his music, his texts, and his sound art. To present their worlds to the public, I felt it was important to give a broader impression.

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Which lessons from those experiences would you like to bring into future festival contexts?

The idea that everything is in everything, as the Greek philosopher Anaxagoras said. It’s about enriching the musical experience by connecting it to other aspects, the composers’ tastes, their relationship with nature, and the wider context of their lives.

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How do you see the role of small, independent festivals compared to major institutions?

Major institutions can be intimidating, many people don’t even dare to enter a big concert hall. Small festivals, on the other hand, can reach new audiences who might never otherwise experience classical music live. They also provide space for less-known composers and performers to be heard.

 

You frequently work across disciplines, dance, theatre, film. What opportunities do you see if festivals like ours place more emphasis on such collaborations?

Smaller festivals are more flexible; they can experiment with formats that are rarely seen in classical music contexts. Diversity is a strength, by programming different art forms, you can attract new audiences and renew the classical music community.

 

In your view, what defines a good collaboration between an artist and a festival organisation?

A good collaboration happens when both sides listen to and understand each other’s perspectives. The goal is to offer an engaging experience that draws the audience in, repertoire, venue, and atmosphere should all be part of that shared vision.

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International networks are an important part of your career. How can festivals like ours act as a bridge within that context?

When you perform abroad, you meet people who might connect with your work, that’s how networks grow. So playing outside Portugal is always enriching.

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Are there particular themes or artistic fields that currently inspire you, which you’d like to see developed within a festival setting?

Nature has become a very strong influence in my life and work. Whenever possible, I like to combine art and nature, to perform outdoors, accompanied by birds or cicadas, or to include activities like mushroom foraging as part of my children’s piece Birds & Mushrooms.

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Finally, what is your vision for your artistic work in the coming years, and where do you see intersections with our organisation’s path?

I think you are very open to rethinking the role of classical music today and to experimenting with formats and venues. That is inspiring and necessary and it’s also the direction I’m following. So I believe our paths naturally connect, and I hope we can develop more projects together in the future.