Promoted Event

João Santos

Lunchtime Organ Concert

Tuesday, 22 October 2019

13:00 - 14:00

The Grosvenor Chapel

24 South Audley Street, Mayfair, London W1K 2PA

Free Admission 

Programme

Johann Sebastian Bach (1685-1750)

Praeludium in C, BWV 545i

António Carreira (c.1530-1594?)

Segundo tento a quatro em sol

Pedro de Araújo (late 17th century)

Tento de segundo tom

António Correa Braga (XVIII century)

Batalha do 6º tom

Frei Jacinto do Sacramento (ca. 1700 - 1750)

Sonata em Ré menor – Allegro

Carlos Seixas (1704-1748)

Tocata em lá menor “para orgam” (for organ)

Johann Sebastian Bach

Fugue in C, BWV 545ii

JOÃO SANTOS has a degree in Sacred Music from the School of Arts of the Portuguese Catholic University - Porto, where he studied with Luca Antoniotti (Organ), Eugénio Amorim (Composition and Direction of Choirs), Cesário Costa (Orchestra Direction), Anselm Hartmann (Piano), amongst others.

João Santos has excelled in the areas of Organ and Composition, both nationally, with the 2nd prize in the National Organ Competition of the Gregorian Institute of Lisbon (2007), and internationally, contacting with famous organists such as T. Jellema, W. Zerer, M. Bouvard, J. Janssen, F. Espinasse, O. Latry, D. Roth, L. Scandali, et al.

He has participated in prestigious international organ competitions such as Alkmaar, (Netherlands, 2007), Freiberg (Germany, 2009) and Innsbruck (Austria, 2010). He regularly performs concerts nationwide and abroad, namely Westminster Cathedral (London 2012), Orgel Festival Rhür (Germany, 2014), Notre Dame de Paris (2015), St. Christoph Summer Festival (Vilnius), Festival d’Orgue de Brunoy (France), et all. He was soloist with the Madeira Classical Orchestra during the International Organ Festival of Madeira, in 2014. 

As a composer, João Santos’ works have been internationally recognized, being a finalist at the Simon Carrington Chamber Singers Choral Composition Competition (USA) and Musicaficta International Choral Composition Competition (Italy). Following the latter, his works Jesu Dulcis Memoria and Tryptich were selected for publication by Edition Ferrimontana, based in Germany. His transcription for six organs of the Allegretto of the 7th Symphony of L. Van Beethoven won the first prize (category B) in the international composition competition "Organs of Mafra", 2017. In 2019 edition of this competition, he was awarded again, but this time on the category A with an original piece for six organs entitled “Magnificat”.

João Santos is pianist of the ENCANTO contratenores duo, with whom he has regular concerts all over Portugal, as well as touring abroad, namely France, Switzerland, Brazil, United States, Belgium, England, Germany and Slovakia.

From 2010 to 2018, João Santos was the principal organist at the Sanctuary of Fatima. 

João Santos is principal organist of the Cathedral of Leiria since 2007.