MASTERCLASSES: CHANGES IN SCHEDULE DUE TO GOVERNMENTAL DECREE
Dear participants in the master classes in the 2020 edition of the West Coast festival, due to the new public circulation rules decreed by the government, in force until the next 23rd of November, the masterclasses of the 14th and 21st of November will take place at a new time 09H30 and 13h00, in the programmed places.
 

ANNOUNCEMENT
Dear friends of the West Coast - Old Music Festival of Oeiras,

We want to publicly apologize here for the failure to stream the concert from yesterday, November 6th. Due to difficulties in connecting to the network that could not be resolved, the technical team did not achieve the transmission in real time, thus breaking the expectations we created in the public. Unforeseen situation that we regret, and that will be corrected before the next concert. However, it was possible to record the show with 360 technology, so it will be available online very soon. We regret the situation and hope to continue to count on your attention in the upcoming activities of the festival.

The West Coast Artistic Direction,
João Janeiro

About the Festival

Since its 1st edition in 2008, West Coast - Oeiras Early Music Festival has been promoting the early music heritage of Western tradition through concerts and pedagogical activities. Produced by MAAC- Música Antiga Associação Cultural and supported since its inception by the Oeiras municipality, the Festival traditionally occurs at some of the most significant historical sites of Oeiras, like Marquês de Pombal Palace, Oeiras Matriz Church, Santo Amaro Chapel or São Julião da Barra Fortress, thus contributing to the promotion of Oeiras architectural heritage. 
The 2020 edition of the Festival will take place between the 4th and the 29th of November and features a program devoted entirely to Ludwig van Beethoven and his contemporaries. Prestigious musicians like violinists Florian Deuter and Davide Monti, harpsichordist Ketil Haugsand, fortepianists Yuko Inoue and Laura Granero and harpist Maria Cleary, among other guests, will all be celebrating the 250th anniversary of Beethoven’s birth with our audience!
Concerts and fortepiano masterclasses will all happen at Santo Amaro Chapel, whereas all other masterclasses will take place at Nossa Senhora do Cabo Music School in Linda-a-Velha.
A further attraction of this year’s Festival will be a copy of a c. 1770 Stein fortepiano, newly (and beautifully!) restored by Portugal-based Dutch luthier Geert Karman, which will be presented for the very first time to the public.

Throughout its history, the Festival has been keen on promoting the musical repertoires performed in Portugal through the beginning of the 19th century. Pieces like João Lourenço Rebelo’s ‘Christmas Vespers’ or Pereira da Costa’s set of ‘Concerti Grossi’ had their modern premiere at Oeiras West Coast Festival.
One of the hallmarks of this Festival is the unique way in which it reaches out to young students, reinforcing their musical training, disclosing hitherto unknown repertoires and familiarizing them with period instruments. This has been carried out by way of activities as diverse as music competitions, music courses, masterclasses, open rehearsals, in person meetings with the musicians, musical iconography exhibitions, etc. Concurrently, the Festival has sought to actively engage the community at large through various workshops (baroque dances, recorder consort), guided visits to heritage sites, children/family shows and/or concerts, CD presentations, commented movies, exhibitions, etc. 
Oeiras West Coast Festival also developed an active collaboration with academic research units, hosting conferences, lectures and presentations of musicological studies. 
In a year so negatively defined by the Covid-19 pandemic, let’s now put our trust in the ability of Beethoven’s music to lift our spirits. A good Festival to you all!

João Paulo Janeiro
Artistic Director

 

 

 

N. S. Cabo Music School

Info | See map

Santo Amaro's Chapel (Misericórdia)

Info | See map