4th EDItion
april
9, 10 and 11
2026
Clarinet
Flute
Saxophone
about
Since its launch in 2018, the José Massarrão International Competition (JMIC) has welcomed some of the most distinguished young wind instrument performers from both national and international music scenes. The competition primarily aims to foster the technical and artistic development of its participants, while encouraging interaction among musicians, audiences, and institutions.
With a particular focus on wind instruments, the JMIC seeks to preserve and expand the cultural and musical heritage of its founding institution – the Euterpe Alhandrense Society’s Philharmonic Band – which boasts a history spanning over a century and a half. Participation in this competition immerses musicians in a unique environment where artistic excellence closely interacts with a musical identity deeply rooted in philharmonic traditions, providing an enriching experience on both technical and cultural-historical levels.
The JMIC is organised by the Silva Marques Conservatory, a private educational institution with pedagogical autonomy, dedicated to specialized artistic education in music, dance, and theatre. The competition is generously supported by the Euterpe Alhandrense Society and the Municipality of Vila Franca de Xira.
jury
Luís Gomes (Clarinet)
José Massarrão (Saxophone)
João Pereira Coutinho (Flute)
Categories
registration
Levels
Intermediate Level:
Candidates from 15 years old and who turn 18 by December 31, 2025
Advanced Level:
Candidates from 18 years old and who turn 28 by December 31, 2025
Registration Fees
Intermediate Level with Accompanist Pianist: €85.00
Advanced Level with Accompanist Pianist: €100.00
Without Accompanist Pianist: Intermediate Level €65.00 and Advanced Level €80.00
Accommodation for 2 nights: €50
Just Lunch: €20
Deadline
Registration submission until March 13, 2026
CALENDar
APRIL 9
Intermediate Level Preliminary Round
Starting at 2pm. Rehearsals with accompanist pianist from 9am.
APRIL 10
Advanced Level Preliminary Round
Starting at 2pm. Rehearsals with accompanist pianist from 9am.
APRIL 11
Final
Between 9am and 12pm.
Award Ceremony
At 12:30pm at the CMVFX Library Auditorium.
awards
Three monetary prizes will be awarded per level, plus the Vila Franca de Xira City Council Prize to the Grand Winner of the 4th José Massarrão Edition.
2025 José Massarrão Edition Winner
Vila Franca de Xira City Council Prize: 1.500,00€
Advanced Level:
1st Place: 900€
2nd Place: 600€
3rd Place: 400€
Intermediate Level:
1st Place: 700€
2nd Place: 450€
3rd Place: 300€
contacts
Silva Marques Regional Conservatory at the SEA headquarters:
Praça Soeiro Pereira Gomes, nº5
2600-517 Alhandra
Phone
21 950 05 92 / 96 044 87 44
E-mail
JM.IntComp@gmail.com
The José Massarrão International Competition is organized by the Silva Marques Regional Conservatory in partnership with the Vila Franca de Xira City Council.
© 2025 José Massarrão International Competition. All rights reserved.
LUÍS GOMES
Clarinet
He began his studies at the National Conservatory, going on to graduate from both the Lisbon School of Music and the Rotterdam Conservatory. During his studies, he received a scholarship from the Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation. He has performed alongside some of the world’s most renowned clarinetists, including Guy Deplus, Michel Arrignon, Philippe Cuper, Walter Boeykens, David Campbell, Josef Horák, and Henri Bok. His awards include first prizes in the Soloist and Chamber Music categories of the Portuguese Youth Music Competition, the Young Musicians Prize (Chamber Music), and the “Culture and Development” Competition; second prizes in the “Ouvir e Falar” television competition and the “Culture and Development” Competition (Chamber Music); and third prize in the Soloist category of the Setúbal National Clarinet Competition, as well as the prize for the best interpretation of a Portuguese piece. He has served on the jury of the Portuguese Youth Music National Competitions and has performed as a soloist with the World Youth Music Orchestra, the Mediterranean Youth Orchestra, the CEE in Corfu (Greece), the New Portuguese Philharmonic, the Youth Symphony Orchestra, and the Portuguese Youth Orchestra. He currently collaborates with the F.C.G., Sinfónica Portuguesa, and Metropolitana de Lisboa orchestras, and is a member of the Grupo de Música Contemporânea de Lisboa. He is a founding member of the current “Quarteto de Clarinetes de Lisboa” and the “Grupo de Música de Câmara dos Solistas da Orquestra de Jovens do Mediterrâneo.” He is the director of “Cultivarte – Associação Cultural.” He teaches at the EMCNL, the Escola Profissional de Artes da Beira Interior, and the Instituto Piaget.
José Massarrão
Saxophone
Recognised as one of the pioneers of the classical saxophone in Portugal. He has been a key figure in developing performances of the instrument and specialised teaching. He began his studies at the Sociedade Euterpe Alhandrense, going on to graduate from both the National Conservatory and the Lisbon School of Music. He founded the saxophone courses at both the Lisbon School of Music and the University of Évora, where he continues to teach. As a performer, he has collaborated with the country’s leading orchestras, including the Gulbenkian Orchestra and the Portuguese Symphony Orchestra, and has been involved in contemporary music projects. Various composers have dedicated works to him. He founded the saxophone quartet Saxofínia, which is renowned for its chamber music performances. Dedicating his life to pedagogy, creation and appreciation of the saxophone, José Massarrão continues to inspire new generations of musicians.
João Pereira Coutinho
Flute
He is a flutist with the Lisbon Contemporary Music Group and a professor at the National Conservatory, where he studied with Ricardo Ramalho. He received a scholarship from the Gulbenkian Foundation to study in Paris and Vienna, where he honed his skills under the guidance of Debost, Nagle, Cherrier and Weissberg.
A prize winner at the 1^(st) Portuguese Youth Music Competition, he joined the New Portuguese Philharmonic Orchestra and has also collaborated with other orchestras and ensembles as a soloist.
He has recorded several CDs featuring Portuguese music for the flute and has premiered various works dedicated to him for the instrument.
He has taught undergraduate and master’s programs in flute at professional schools, and has given masterclasses on the instrument in Portugal, Spain and Slovakia. He has also served on various competition juries for young instrumentalists.
