Ricardo Pires

Ricardo is a Portuguese saxophone player with a particular interest in contemporary music.

He has performed as a soloist with several orchestras, such as the Gulbenkian Orchestra, MPMP Orchestra, National Republican Guard Chamber Orchestra, Amicis Camerata, EPME Classical Orchestra, National Republican Guard Symphonic Band, Portuguese Symphonic Band, Lisbon Superior Music School Wind Orchestra and Lisbon Superior Music School Saxophone Ensemble.

As a freelance musician, he collaborated with several orchestras and projects such as the Gulbenkian Orchestra, Portuguese Symphonic Orchestra, Lisbon Metropolitan Orchestra, Clássica do Sul Orchestra and Lisbon Underground Music Ensemble.

He has already recorded some works, namely Fantasie by Claude Smith, Ecos by Filipe Esteves and Zola by Luis Cardoso. Ricardo has also premiered several works, such as Concertino and A Eternidade de um Coração, by Alexandre Almeida, Speech, by Diogo Novo Carvalho, Ao Longe meu Pai Dizia, by Ângela da Ponte and Saxophone Quartet, by Marco Barroso. Currently is working in a new Cd recording called Windsor Project, based exclusively in Portuguese and English contemporary music.

Ricardo was awarded in several competitions, including Prémio Jovens Músicos from the Portuguese Broadcasting Organization, Victor Santos Saxophone International Competition and Young Soloists Competition EPME.

During his academic career, he worked with John Harle in London, and José Massarrão, Alberto Roque, Francisco Ferreira and João Figueiredo in Portugal. Ricardo is a D’Addario Woodwind Artist, a saxophone player at the National Republican Guard Symphonic Band (PT), and a Saxophone teacher at the Sintra Music Conservatory (PT).