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Biographies


Rui C. Antunes is a is a violinist and composer residing in Leipzig. He is a member of the contemporary music ensembles Concrète [Lab] Ensemble (Lisbon, Portugal) and of Ensemble Reflexion K (Eckernförde, Germany) and regularly plays with other other ensembles dedicated to contemporary music in Germany and Portugal.
He currently studies composition with Fabien Lévy in the Hochschule für Musik und Theater in Leipzig, Germany. He finished his violin studies (2021) with excellence in the HMT in the class of Prof. Friedemann Wezel. Previously, he studied violin at the National Superior Academy of Orchestra (ANSO), in Lisbon, where he also finished his bachelor in violin with excellence (2017).
He had his debut as a composer in 2016, and has since collected several prizes both as a violinist and as a composer. His music has already been played in Portugal, Spain, Germany, and Belgium.
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Rui C. Antunes is a violinist and composer residing in Leipzig. He is a member of the Concrète [Lab] Ensemble (Lisbon, Portugal) and of Ensemble Reflexion K (Eckernförde, Germany) and regulary cooperates with contemporary music ensembles and orchestras such as: Lisbon Ensemble XX/XXI, (Con)temporary (In)sights, Mpmp Ensemble, OrquestraXXI, Philharmonie Leipzig, Orquestra Metropolitana de Lisboa.
He had his debut as a composer in 2016, and has since collected several prizes both as a violinist and as a composer and his music has so far been played in Portugal, Spain, Germany, and Belgium.
In 2013 joined the National Superior Academy of Orchestra in Lisbon, Portugal, where he studied with Prof. Aníbal Lima, finishing his bachelor with excellence in 2017. The same year, he enrolled in the Hochschule für Musik und Theater “Felix Mendelssohn Bartholdy” in Leipzig, Germany, where he studied violin with Prof. Friedemann Wezel, finishing his second bachelor in 2019 and his Master in Violin Performance in 2021, both with excellence and top mark on the final violin examinations. He currently studies composition at the HMT-Leipzig with Fabien Lévy.


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Rui C. Antunes (1995, Torres Novas) began his musical studies at the age of 7 at the Phydellius Choral Music Conservatory (violin). Later, he also studied piano and singing, studying Analysis and Composition Techniques with Prof. Jorge Pereira and starting to compose at that time.
In 2013 he enters the Academia Nacional Superior de Orquestra (Superior National Academy of Orchestra) in Lisbon, Portugal, where he studies in the violin class of Prof. Aníbal Lima, finishing his degree with excellence in 2017. In the same year, he enrolled at the Hochschule für Musik Und Theater "Felix Mendelssohn Bartholdy" in Leipzig, Germany, where he studies violin with Prof. Friedemann Wezel, finishing his second degree in 2019 and his master degree in violin performance in 2021, both with excellence and top marks in his violin final exams.
She is currently studying composition at HMT-Leipzig with Fabien Lévy, and postgraduate studies in Applied Composition at the Escola Superior de Música de Lisboa with Luis Naón, Michele Tadini, Alexander Waite, Ruth Schreiner, and the Ensemble Recherche.
He studied Chamber Music with Paul Wakabayashy, Artur Pizarro, Frank Reinecke, Hanns-Martin Schreiber, Caspar Franz, Boris Kusnezow, and Florian Schötz.
He has participated in violin masterclasses with Benjamin Schmid, Jack Liebeck, FriedemannWezel, Aníbal Lima, and Roberto Valdés; and Chamber Music with Étienne Lamaison, Marie-Luise Neunecker, and Isabel Charisius. In addition, he had private lessons with Carolin Widmann, Heime Müller, Erich Höbarth, Daniel Sepec, Noé Inui, Kathrin Ten-Hagen, H.W. Mehling, Roberto Valdés, Ana Pereira.
At the same time of his first degree he studies at the School of Music of the National Conservatory, in the Filomena Amaro's singing class.
Since 2022 he is a founding member of Concréte [Lab] Ensemble (Lisbon, Portugal), a contemporary music ensemble dedicated to working directly with current composers. He is also a member of the Ensemble Reflexion K (Eckernförde, Germany) since 2023 and regularly cooperates with contemporary music ensembles and orchestras, such as: Lisbon Ensemble XX/XXI, (Con)temporary (In)sights, Ensemble Mpmp, Philharmonie Leipzig Orquestra XXI, Orquestra Metropolitana de Lisboa.
He had his debut as a composer in 2016, and since then several prizes have been awarded to him, both as violinist and composer. His music has been performed in Portugal, Spain, Germany, and Belgium.
Awards & Prizes
2022
2021
2019
2017
2016
Only Prize, Criasons Competition 2022 for musical theater | Lisboa (Portugal)
Awarded piece: "Pensar é estar doente dos olhos"
Especial Prize for the best interpretation of Bach, advanced level - violin, 6. National String Competition "Vasco Barbosa“ | Lisbon (Portugal)
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Half-Finalist: "Prémio Jovens Músicos“, advanced level - violin | video recording (Portugal)
1st Prize and Audience Award, 12th International Composition Competition of Póvoa de Varzim | Póvoa de Varzim (Portugal)
Awarded piece: Dois Personagens Portugueses
Half-Finalist: "Prémio Jovens Músicos“, advanced level - violin | Lisbon (Portugal)
Honourable Mention, advanced level - violin, 2. National String Competition "Vasco Barbosa“ | Lisbon (Portugal)
Education
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2022-2023 (Lisbon)
Post-Graduation in Applied Composition
Escola Superior de Música de Lisboa
Prof. Luis Naón, Prof. Rut Schreiner, Prof. Michele Tadini, Prof. Alexander Waite, Ensemble Recherche
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2021-Present (Leipzig)
Master in Composition
HMT “Felix Mendelssohn Bartholdy”
Prof. Fabien Lévy
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2021-2022 (Leipzig)
Secondary subject in Violin
HMT “Felix Mendelssohn Bartholdy”
Prof. Carolin Widmann
(final violin examination – 1,0 points)
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2020-2021 (Leipzig)
Secondary subject in Composition
HMT “Felix Mendelssohn Bartholdy”
Prof. Fabien Lévy
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2019-2021 (Leipzig)
Master in Performance Violin
HMT “Felix Mendelssohn Bartholdy”
Prof. Friedemann Wezel
(final violin examination – 1,0 points)
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2017-2019 (Leipzig)
Bachelor in Violin
HMT “Felix Mendelssohn Bartholdy”
Prof. Friedemann Wezel
(final violin examination – 1,0 points)
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2013-2017 (Lisbon)
Bachelor, specialization in Orchestra Musician
"Academia Nacional Superior de Orquestra"
Prof. Aníbal Lima
(final violin examination – 20/20 points)