HENRIQUE ALMEIDA

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Henrique Almeida was born in 1990 in Amarante, Portugal. He starts playing the guitar at the age of 12 in Centro Cultural de Amarante with Hélder Almeida. At the age of 17 he is accepted to study with Professor José Pina, and later with Artur Caldeira in ESMAE, “Escola Superior de Música e Artes do Espectáculo” in Porto, concluding his studies with highest marks. In 2012 he started his Master studies at the „Hochschule für Musik und Tanz Köln“ in Cologne with the professor Roberto Aussel and had masterclasses with renown artists like Marcyn Dylla, Chen Zi, Feliu Gasul, Jérôme Ducharme, Margarita Escarpa, José Pina, Artur Caldeira e Miguel Carvalhinho. He won the first prize in the International Guitar Competitions of „Santa Cecilia“ in Porto and „Cidade do Fundão“ in Fundão. Furthermore, he got the third prize in „Jovens Músicos“ competition in 2014. Henrique has played in several concert halls around Europe, such as Paris, Bergerac, Redon, Aarhus, Braga, Maastricht, Cologne, Monschau, Aachen, etc.

Henrique founded in Cologne the project „Cantus Portugueses“ and works at the moment with the ensemble „Cologne Guitar Quartet“, the Duo „Dois Sons“, and also as a composer and arranger. His piece „Cavaquinho in Cologne“ was premiered by the Cologne Guitar Quartet in 2018 and „Cantar Alentejano“ was premiered in January 2019 by the guitarist Adriana Rolão for her Masters Final Exam.