Luis Miguel Clemente

Luis Miguel Clemente is an internationally active conductor, pedagogue and researcher, whose professional profile brings together advanced artistic practice, academic research and pedagogical leadership, widely recognised as one of the most distinctive and inspiring figures in contemporary Portuguese musical life. His work is grounded in a rigorous approach to conducting technique, a strong awareness of gesture–sound relationships, and a broad humanistic perspective that informs both interpretation and rehearsal practice.

He holds a Doctorate in Music (DMA) in Orchestral Conducting, awarded with distinction by the University of Aveiro. His doctoral research, centred on a phenomenological analysis of Carlos Kleiber’s conducting technique, reflects a long-standing focus on the translation of musical intention into gesture and sound — a core axis of the OCA Conducting Academy’s pedagogical approach.

His conducting education includes advanced studies in Portugal, Spain, Italy and the United Kingdom, with formative mentorship under Colin Metters, with whom he continues to collaborate regularly as a conducting pedagogue. Luis holds the LRSM Diploma in Conducting from the Associated Board of the Royal Schools of Music (London) and completed advanced conducting studies at the Escuela de Altos Estudios Musicales de Huelva, where he was awarded the Leonard Bernstein Prize for outstanding academic performance.

His training also encompasses specialist studies in orchestral and wind conducting, orchestration and analysis, as well as sustained exposure to diverse conducting traditions. His specialist training further includes postgraduate courses in contemporary music conducting and orchestral technique with maestro Jan Cober, Ernest Schelle, Arturo Tamayo, Josep Pons and Samuel Adler, as well as numerous international masterclasses with maestros such as Michael Dittrich, Alexander Polischuck, Jean-Sébastien Béreau, Robert Houlihan and Mitchell Fennell. During his training years, he closely observed the work of conductors such as Claudio Abbado, Bernard Haitink, Simon Rattle, Trevor Pinnock and Sergiu Celibidache, contributing to the development of his artistic and technical outlook. In recent years he has worked closely on masterclasses and at jury panels at international conducting competitions, alongside leading conducting pedagogues including Kenneth Kiesler, Mark Stringer, Arthur Arnold and Enrique García Asensio

Alongside his conducting career, Luis Miguel Clemente pursued extensive academic training in Musicology and Ethnomusicology, completing a Master of Arts (MA) with distinction at the University of Maryland (USA). This multidisciplinary academic background — complemented by studies in philosophy, history, Anthropology and Sociology — informs a research-informed, reflective and context-sensitive approach to musical leadership. He is fluent in English and Spanish, communicates professionally in Italian and French, and has working knowledge of Latin and Classical Greek, enabling effective interaction across diverse cultural and professional environments.

He is currently Principal Conductor and Artistic Director of the Orquestra da Costa Atlântica, and Artistic Director and Principal Conductor of the Jovem Orquestra da Costa Atlântica, leading projects that combine artistic excellence with strong educational and outreach components. His professional activity as a conductor spans Europe, North America and Asia, and includes collaborations with professional, youth and academic orchestras in a wide range of international contexts

As Pedagogical Director and Lead Tutor of the OCA Conducting Academy, Luis Miguel Clemente integrates professional conducting practice with a clear pedagogical framework focused on score study, gesture, sound production and rehearsal methodology. He regularly designs and leads international conducting programmes and masterclasses, and since 2021 has been actively engaged in transcription and critical edition projects, particularly of Portuguese repertoire and pedagogical editions for conductors, reinforcing the Academy’s commitment to research-informed artistic practice.

A complete professional biography and academic profile is available at

www.luismiguelclemente.com