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Rui C. Antunes is a is a portuguese violinist and composer residing in Leipzig. He currently studies composition with Fabien Lévy and violin (as minor) with Carolin Widmann in the Hochschule für Musik und Theater (HMT) 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 with Prof. Aníbal Lima 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. He regularly plays with several orchestras and contemporary music ensembles in Germany and Portugal.

Rui C. Antunes (1995, Torres Novas) begun his musical studies at age 7 in the Choral Phydellius Music Conservatory (violin). Later, studied also piano and singing, enrolling yet in the discipline of Composition Analysis and Technics with Professor Jorge Pereira, beginning to compose by then.

In 2013 joined the National Superior Academy of Orchestra (Academia Nacional Superior de Orquestra) in Lisbon, Portugal, where he studied with Prof. Aníbal Lima in his violin class, 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.

He regulary cooperates with contemporary music ensembles and orchestras such as: Lisbon Ensemble XX/XXI, (Con)temporary (In)sights, Mpmp Ensemble, OrquestraXXI, Orquestra Metropolitana de Lisboa, Orquestra de Câmara de Almada, Lisbon Film Orchestra.

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.

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.

He is a founding member of Concréte [Lab] Ensemble, a contemporary music ensemble dedicated to working directly with current composers. He regularly cooperates with contemporary music ensembles and orchestras, such as: Ensemble Reflexion K, 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

2021

2019

2017

2016

Especial Prize for the best interpretation of Bach, advanced level - violin, 6. National String Competition "Vasco Barbosa“ | Lisbon (Portugal)

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)

Awards & Prizes