Lia Melo Violist from Portugal- Musician Portrait

Name: Lia Rafaela de Marcos e Melo

Instrument: Viola

Date of Birth: 22-06-2001

How music started in my life

Since I was a little kid, I have always felt attracted by music. I would sing all the songs I could come up with, and even make songs of my own, with a word or two, just to annoy my parents.

Apparently, my strategy worked, and they decided to take me and my twin sister (who is an incredible person and violist) to the Vila Real Regional Music Conservatory (maybe hoping I would start singing better).

It didn’t work out the way they expected, but soon, both me and my sister fell in love with the sweet viola sound (who doesn’t?).

Since that moment, it has been an unique journey with endless hours of study, but also many moments of happiness.

All the hard work paid off and made me realize the major role that music plays in my life.

A little bit more about me

In my free time, I enjoy listening to music, especially while I am running.

Music and sports are two things that bring me joy and a sense of freedom.

For example, I love nature exploration activities and I practiced modern pentathlon, which consists of five events; pistol shooting, fencing, 200 meters freestyle swimming, horseback riding jumps, and a 4x800m cross-country run.

I also like walking with my family and talking to them about everything. My family has been a major support to me during this amazing journey and I owe them the person they raised me to be.

Spending time with my friends is also something I really enjoy, although I don’t have much time to do it.

Festivals and orchestras also allowed me to know many interesting people from different places and to make friends that share my passion for music.

So far, music has only brought me unbelievably great experiences, and I feel grateful and delighted by all the amazing things that have been happening to me.

Overall, I am a regular teenager, with dreams, ambition, disappointments, pleasant surprises and a backpack full of books.

Goals for the Future

Beside my personal fulfillment, I’m committed to becoming a professional Viola Performer (musician). I study and work very hard in order to achieve this goal. I would love to be a soloist, an orchestra musician and a Viola teacher. Music has always been my passion and I believe that there are no boundaries when it comes to doing what you love. My dream is to keep on performing and touching people, and ultimately, making everyone understand the importance that music has in our lives and share the pleasure that comes within it.

HONORS, AWARDS, AND SCHOLARSHIPS (in the last three years)

2015: Student of Excellence Board at Camilo Castelo Branco High School;

1^st prize, category E of viola, in the 9^th Paços Premium National Competition in Paços de Brandão Music Academy, Portugal.

1^st place in the regional championship of school cross-country

2016: Award for Best Student of Strings at the Vila Real Regional Music Conservatory

Student of Excellence Board at Camilo Castelo Branco High School;

1^st place in the regional championship of school cross-country;

Regional champion of the 1000 meters;

3^rd place in the National Championship of Mathematical Games (Rastros Game)

Participated (in representation of the city of Vila Real) in the 5^th Musical Show of the Eixo Atlântico (Atlantic Axis) as a Soloist and in the category of small chamber groups (string quartet) and won the 3^rd prize, Spain;

1^st prize, category B of viola, in the “5^thCity of Vigo Violin, Viola and Cello Competition” in Vigo Superior Music Conservatory, Spain;

2^nd prize, intermediate category of soloists (viola), in the London Grand Prize Virtuoso, International Music Competition, England;

Received a commendation from the City Council of Vila Real;

2017: Student of Excellence Board at Camilo Castelo Branco High School;

1^st prize, intermediate category of soloists (viola), in the New York Golden Classic Music Awards, 2017 International Competition, United States of America;

1^st prize, category E (viola), in the 2^nd Ilda Moura Music Competition in Guilhermina Suggia Music School, Oporto, Portugal;

1^st prize, category D (viola), in the eMuse online Music Competition in Athens, Greece;

1^st prize (ex-aequo), category viola Juvenil, in the III National String Competition Vasco Barbosa, in Lisbon, Portugal;

1^st prize, category advanced, in the II Rising Stars Grand Prix 2017 – International Music Competition Berlin, Germany;

1^st prize, category intermediate, in the International Music Competition Salzburg – Grand Prize Virtuoso, Austria

1^st prize in the “1^st International String Competition Fernandes Fão”, in Vila Praia de Âncora, Portugal;

1^st prize in IMKA International Internet Music Competition 2017, in Bosnia Herzegovina;

1^st prize, category advanced, in the International Music Competition Vienna – Grand Prize Virtuoso, Austria.

Received a second commendation from the City Council of Vila Real for her musical talent.

Additional Education

As a performer and a student she had Viola Master Classes with the following teachers: Mrs.Sophie Arbuckle; Isabel Villanueva; Joana Pereira; Danuta Grossmannová; and Mr. Ryszard Wóycicki, Jorge Alves, António José Pereira.
Worked with teatchers: Nuno Vasconcelos; Cesário Costa; António Sérgio Ferreira; Carlos Pereira; Nuno Azevedo; Valter Palma; Alice Neves; Edmundo Pires and Luís Clemente, among many others.
As a founding member of the Vila Real String Quartet and the Vila Real String Trio, she has had multiple concerts in Portugal and Spain.
Attended workshops about Baroque and Ancient music.

Additional Education and Training (in the last three years)

Selected to perform in festivals of national and international orchestras:

2015: 2^nd Ensemble Philharmonic Orchestra, at the Music Academy of Fundão, Portugal, conducted by Cesário Costa;

2016: Atlantic Coast International Music Festival, in Esposende, Portugal, conducted by Luís Clemente;

3^rd “Ensemble” Philharmonic Orchestra, at Vilar do Paraíso Music Academy in Vila Nova de Gaia, Oporto, Portugal, as section leader, conducted by Cesário Costa;

1^st Portuguese-German Youth Orchestra Meeting as section Leader, conducted by António Sérgio Ferreira;

2017: Youth Portuguese Orchestra, Auditorium of Belém Cultural Centre, CCB, in Lisbon, Portugal, conducted by Pedro Carneiro;

4^th “Ensemble” Philharmonic Orchestra, at Grand Auditorium of Belém Cultural Centre, CCB, in Lisbon, Portugal, Sines and Olhão, as section Leader, and soloist, conducted by Cesário Costa.

Philharmonic and String Orchestra concerts (in the last three years)

Performances in 2015:

Philharmonic and Choir Ceremony in the “Aula Magna” (Great Hall) of the University of Trás-os-Montes and Alto Douro, Vila Real City;
Main Church of Fundão, Portugal;
Viriato’s Theatre, in Viseu, Portugal;
São Bento da Vitória’s cloisters, in Oporto, Portugal;
Theatre Ribeiro Conceição in Lamego, Portugal, in the opening of the event “Portugal Solidário” and played with the members of the band “Ala dos Namorados”, Mr. Nuno Guerreiro and Mr. Manuel Paulo.

Performances in 2016:

Grand Auditorium of Belém Cultural Centre, CCB, in Lisbon, Portugal;
Grand Auditorium of the Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation
Lorde of Navigators Church in Vila do Conde, Portugal;
Vila Nova de Gaia Municipal Auditorium, Portugal;
Circus Theatre in Braga, Portugal;
Euro-Park’s Grand Auditorium in Santa Maria da Feira, Portugal;
Penafiel Main Church, Portugal;
Peso da Régua Municipal Auditorium, Portugal;
Bustelo Benedictine Monastery, Portugal;
Theater’s Grand Auditorium in Vila Real, where she played with the band “We Trust”;
Pontevedra’s Cultural Centre, in Spain, with the cooperative project “Linking Cultures”.