Maria Gabriela Canavilhas

Portuguese Minister for Culture - C. V. Resumé

Gabriela Canavilhas, born in 1961, is a Pianist, cultural affairs manager and, currently, Minister for Culture (18th Portuguese Constitutional Government). She has previously held the office of Regional Cultural Director at the Azores 10th Regional Government (2008-2009). Between 2003 and 2008, she was Chairperson for the Music Education & Culture Association, the organisation in charge of the Lisbon Metropolitan Orchestra, the Orchestra High National Academy and the Lisbon Music Metropolitan Conservatory.

Education

• Piano High Level Course - Conservatório Nacional de Lisboa;
• Musical Sciences degree (BSc) – Universidade Nova de Lisboa – Social and Human Sciences Faculty.

Awards

• Merit Diploma from Accademia Musicale Chigiana (Sienna, Italy) – 1991;
• 1st Prize -  5th International Competition "Città di Moncalieri" (Torino, Italy) – 1990;
• 1st Prize for Erudite Music at Culture & Development National Competition promoted by the Arts and Ideas Portuguese Club – 1989;
• 1st Prize - Dame Ruth Railton – 1976.

Artistic Career

• Extensive artistic activity as a pianist, between 1986 and 2004, in the main Portuguese concert venues, cultural institutions and national competitions as well as performing at main venues in the Azores and Madeira islands. Recorded and Live concert performances for Portuguese national and regional Public Radio and Television;
• Seven CD recordings published;
• Favoured enhancing public knowledge of works by Portuguese classic composers through selection of modern auditions for CD recordings and live performances of João Domingos Bomtempo and first auditions for Portuguese contemporary composers such as Eurico Carrapatoso, Victorino de Almeida, Sérgio de Azevedo and Clotilde Rosa;
• Frequently held recitals exclusively devoted to Portuguese music and composers like Vianna da Motta, Alfredo Keil, Fernando Lopes-Graça, Bomtempo, Frederico de Freitas, Luis de Freitas Branco, Augusto Machado, etc;
• International performances in the USA (New York), Italy, Brazil, Macau, Germany and Canada.

Public Life

• Creator and Artistic Director of the “Azores MusicAtlântico Festival” since 1999;
• Broadcasting Presenter of several large audience cultural radio programmes at RDP Antena-2 (2000-2008);
• Regular advisor and/or contributor to cultural initiatives by established institutions such as Instituto Camões, Centro Cultural de Belém and Casa da Música do Porto;
• Frequently invited as speaker, concert commentator or publishing author on cultural and artistic subjects;
• Member of Fundação Luso-Americana para o Desenvolvimento (FLAD) Management Council – 2007;
• Independent Member of Parliament national candidate on Azores Socialist Party list (2002).

Professional Teaching Activities

• Teacher at Conservatório Nacional de Lisboa – since 1986;
• Teacher at Academia dos Amadores de Música de Lisboa – 1982/1986;
• Teacher at Conservatório Regional de Castelo Branco – 1979/1981.