Carlos
Damas - Violinist
Mr. Damas is the finest Portuguese violin player of his generation,
and the critics says “…one of best in Europe…”
Carlos Damas born in Coimbra Portugal.
At the age of 3 years old he attended the Conservatory
of this same city and made his first contacts with the
world of sounds.
At the age of 6 he moved to Lisbon and starts his violin
studies with professors Vasco Brôco, Alexandra Mendes
and Leonor Prado (violinists of Lisbon Gulbenkian Foundation)
He played as soloist for the first time at the age of 15
with National Radio Symphonic Orchestra, conducted by Sir
Silva
Pereira.
In 1989 Carlos Damas represents his country in the International
Music Camp, the American String Teachers Association awarded
Carlos Damas for “ Excellence in Performance and Leadership".
Worked with the conductor Joseph Giunta. In the same year
was awarded in the Portuguese Youth Musical Competition.
In 1990 establish residence in Paris where he attends the
conservatory. Works with the great pedagogue Mrs. Jacqueline
Lefévre
and with master Ivry Gittlis. In 1992 he is concertmaster
of the International Orchestra of the "Cité Internationale
de Paris”. During this years he work under orientation
of Sir Yehudi Menhuin.
As soloist collaborate with different orchestras as the
Orchestre Jeune Philarmonie, Camerata de St. Severin, etc.
Also invited
to participate in the Eastern Music festival and to collaborate
with Santo Domingo Symphonic Orchestra.
Was the concertmaster of the Orchestre de La Cité,
Paris during three years.
In 1993 Carlos Damas played for the first time in Paris
the violin Concerto by the Portuguese composer Luis de
Freitas
Branco.
Participated in Masterclasses by the Master Shlomo Mintz.
Graduate in 1993 with the best classification by unanimity
of the jury.
In 1995 appears his first recording with the label Numérica
(Portugal)Make also this year one very successfully tournée
in Spain. Give masterclasses in Conservatório Superior
de Música de Zaragoza.
In 1996 was invited to participate in the Sammering Festival
and Worked with Dora ,Schwarzberg and the pianist Yuri
Smirnov.
Participate in the Salzburg Mozart Festival.
September 1996 was invited to assistant concertmaster of
Macau Chamber Orchestra, later on also played as second
violin principal.
In China played with the Orchestra of Macau, Canton Symphony
and Hong-Kong Philarmonic.
In I997second C.D edition for Tradisom (Macau-Asia Portugal).
Participate in Macau Music Festival, Arts Festival of Macau
and was the only European to be invited to the 5th Arts
Festival of R.P China.
In 1997 receive in heritance, one fine violin from Mr.
Marceau, ex pupil of master David Oistrakh.
From 1998 until 2000, Mr. Carlos Damas, have been playing
regulary in chamber music and as soloist, in Europe, Asia
and America.
He made a successful tourné with Madeira Camerata,
playing the Bach violin Concertos.
In 2001 new CD, with works for unacopained violin by Bach,
Lopes-Graça, Prokofiev and Yan-Jun-Hua.
In 2002 Mr. Damas played the 10 Beethoven violin sonatas
in 40 concerts in Spain and France. Five concerts with
Brahms piano Quartet, six concerts with Prokofiev Quintet
with winds.
For 2003/4 Mr. Damas have already tournés in Japan,
Korea and Europe with the Luis de Freitas Branco violin
Sonatas.
In 2004 was released a CD with a live recording of
Beethoven sonatas for violin and piano nš4 and nš5.
In 2004 the name of Carlos Damas was considerated by the
www.theviolinsite.com, as a prominent international violinist.
On December 2007 was realesed on the international market
the cd Modern Music for solo Violin, which includes two world
premiéres recordings one by the composer Sérgio
Azevedo the other by Fernando Lopes-Graça, this album
was in destak on the international specialized press. In
the month of November was the choosed CD by ARTEtv.
.
Mr. Damas made his début with Prague Philarmonic Orchestra
also in 2007, after this concert he was promptly invited
for new collaborations with the orchestra.
Mr. Damas was invited in 2007 by Unesco, to perform a “Concert
for Peace”
which taked place in Paris.
Last
update, January 2008
