Pedro Caldeira Cabral

Pedro da Fonseca Caldeira Cabral (born 4 December 1950 in Lisbon, Portugal) is a Portuguese composer, published author and multi-instrumentalist who specializes in Mediaeval, Renaissance, Baroque and Iberian music. His primary instrument is the Portuguese Guitar. He is the recipient of the Degree of Grand Officer of the Order of Infante D. Henrique, awarded to him in 2018 by the President of the Republic, Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa.

Education Pedro Caldeira Cabral learned bass guitar and Bisel flute with his sisters. At 10 years old he received an antique guitar, and by age 14, he had begun performing in amateur shows.

In 1967, at the age of 16, he performed as a soloist for the first time on the direct broadcasting programmes of Fado in Rádio Clube Português, accompanied by Fernando Alvim on bass guitar.

His book, “The Portuguese Guitar”, Ediclube, Lisbon 1999, is the first monography on this national instrument’s origins and historical' evolution, iconography, organological study and repertoire. He has appeared in television programs for following networks: RTP (Portugal), WDR, ZDF and NDR (Germany), BBC and Granada TV (UK), ORTF (France), VPRO (Netherlands), TV Globo and TV Cultura de São Paulo (Brazil).

Discography 'Guitarras de Portugal', Tecla (1971), 'Encontros', Orfeu (1982), 'A Guitarra nos Salões do Século XVIII', Orfeu (1983), 'Pedro Caldeira Cabral', EMI (1985), 'Duas Faces', EMI (1987), 'Guitarra Portuguesa', GHA (1991), 'Momentos da Guitarra', Fenn Music (1992), 'Variações', World Network/WDR (1993), 'Música de Guitarra Inglesa', BMG/RCA Classics (1998), 'Memórias da Guitarra Portuguesa' Tradisom, 2003 and Guitarra Diversa, Mastermix, 2004.

Recent works As Madeiras e os Sons, in 'As Idades da Madeira', Instituto do Emprego e Formação Profissional, Lisboa, 1997 A Guitarra Portuguesa, Ediclube, Amadora, 1999 in Instrumentos Musicais Populares Portugueses, de Ernesto Veiga de Oliveira, Fundação Calouste Gulbenkian, Lisboa, 1982 and 2000. The Portuguese Guitar, Caixa Geral de Depósitos, Lisboa, 2000 A Construção da Viola Campaniça, in 'A Viola Campaniça' de José Alberto Sardinha, Tradisom, Vila Verde, 2001. À Descoberta da Guitarra Portuguesa, C. M. Santo Tirso, Museu Abade de Pedrosa, 2002 A Guitarra Portuguesa, in 'Revista CAIS nº 80', 2003. Michel Giacometti, Uma colecção instrumental in 'Michel Giacometti, Caminho para um Museu', C.M. de Cascais, 2004 Den portugisiska gitarren, in 'Musiken som foddes bortom haven' by Thomas Nydhal, Artea Forlag, Estocolmo, Suécia, 2006 A Guitarra Portuguesa, in 'As Idades do Som', Instituto do Emprego e Formação Profissional, Lisboa, 2006 A Viola Popular em Portugal, in 'As Idades do Som', Instituto do Emprego e Formação Profissional', Lisboa, 2006 Sonhar um Som Português, in 'Sonho português', Egoísta, nº 28, Estoril-Sol, S.A., Lisboa, 2006.