Teaching staff
Luis Miguel Clemente
Luis Miguel Clemente is an internationally renowned conductor, recognized as one of the most charismatic, talented and inspired figures in Portuguese music today. His multidisciplinary academic training in Orchestral Conducting, Musicology, Ethnomusicology and Performing Arts, complemented by studies in Philosophy, History, Cultural Anthropology and Sociology, enriches his artistic approach with a humanistic and comprehensive perspective. A polyglot by nature, she is fluent in English and Castilian, communicates in Italian and French, and has knowledge of Latin and Classical Greek, which allows her to interact effectively in various cultural and professional contexts. A specialist in the techniques of Carlos Kleiber and Musin-Metters, he is renowned for his precision, expressiveness and exceptional communication with orchestras, elevating each performance to a higher artistic level.
His career has been marked by significant international accolades. He was awarded the Cátedra Leonard Bernstein Prize by the Escuela de Altos Estudios Musicales in Huelva, Spain. He won the Budapest International Conducting Competition in Hungary. He was a finalist in the Black Sea Conducting Competition in Romania. He won 1st prize at the Pacific Region Young Soloist Competition in Canada.
As an orchestral conducting teacher with an international reputation, he is regularly invited to teach masterclasses and collaborate with world-renowned institutions such as the Oxford Conducting Institute and St. Anne's College (University of Oxford), the Catholic University of Porto, the INATEL Foundation, the Lusófona University of Humanities and Technologies in Lisbon (in partnership with the University of California, Berkeley) and the West Texas A&M University. He has also taught at several renowned institutions, including the Escola Superior de Educação de Beja, the Instituto Superior D. Afonso III, the Conservatório Superior de Música de Salamanca (Spain) and the Conservatório Regional do Algarve.
He is currently Principal Conductor and Artistic Director of the Atlantic Coast Orchestraone of the most dynamic and versatile professional ensembles on the Portuguese music scene today, with which he has achieved notable artistic success in Portugal and abroad. At the same time, he is Principal Conductor and Artistic Director of the Young Atlantic Coast Orchestra, a formation made up of young professionals and talented students, dedicated to promoting artistic excellence and developing the next generation of musicians, making a significant contribution to the future of classical music.
He is Pedagogical Director and Professor of Conducting at the Academy of Orchestral Conducting where he integrates his vast practical experience with innovative pedagogical approaches, training conductors with a global and contemporary vision. He runs masterclass programs in orchestral conducting in several countries, such as "The Conductor and the Art of Conducting" or The Art of Expressive Conductingwhich are internationally recognized for their excellence in improving technique and expressiveness in orchestral conducting. Since 2021, he has been working intensively on the transcription and critical editing of scores with the association Ekléticain particular works by Portuguese composers and pedagogical editions for conductors.
Committed to the democratization of music, Luis Miguel Clemente is heavily involved in projects that promote artistic accessibility, the development of opportunities for young musicians and the training of conductors. Between 2015 and 2021 he was Principal Conductor and Artistic Director of the Atlantic Coast International Youth Orchestra, bringing together young instrumentalists of various nationalities. Between 2008 and 2018, he was Artistic Director and Principal Conductor of the National Wind Orchestra. He was co-founder and Musical Director of the Portel International Music Festival (2015-2021), awarded the EFFE - Europe for Festivals, Festivals for Europe label by the European Festivals Association.
Over the years, Luís Miguel Clemente has consolidated his international reputation, conducting in countries such as Portugal, Spain, England, France, Switzerland, Moldova, Croatia, Hungary, Italy, Romania, Greece, Canada, USA, Mexico, China, Myanmar and Taiwan. He has collaborated with renowned orchestras, including the European Union Youth Wind Orchestra, Pacific Region Festival Orchestra, Orquestra do Algarve, Filarmonia das Beiras, Zagreb Chamber Orchestra, Moldova Chamber Orchestra, Constantza Symphony Orchestra and Opera, Duna Symphony Orchestra, Orquestra de Cuerdas de la Universidad de Murcia, Rundfunk Blasorchester Leipzig, Shen Yun Symphony Orchestra, Ensemble Equilibrium, St. Anne's Camerata, West Germany. Anne's Camerata, West Texas A&M Symphony Orchestra, Filarmonia Xalapa and Evergreen Symphony Orchestra.
In 2024, he led the Atlantic Coast Orchestra on a historic tour of China, giving concerts in more than 20 cities. This tour strengthened cultural ties between the countries and was widely praised by critics for its artistic quality and ability to connect different cultures through music.