About Porto Pianofest
Porto Pianofest serves as a dynamic force for cultural development, committed to delivering exceptional musical experiences that inspire audiences both locally and internationally. By bridging European and North American approaches to music education, the festival fosters artistic growth through world-class performances and innovative educational residencies.
Centered around the piano, Porto Pianofest unites musicians from across the globe and at all stages of their careers to perform, teach, learn, and cultivate a vibrant artistic community. The festival’s flagship summer event, held annually during the first week of August in Porto, Portugal, is a cornerstone of its mission.
Porto’s unique blend of tradition and innovation provides the ideal setting for this celebration of music. Strategically positioned between Central Europe and the United States, the city boasts a progressive yet historically rich arts scene. Porto Pianofest aims to amplify the city’s role as a thriving cultural hub, strengthening its reputation as a premier destination for artistic excellence both within Portugal and on the global stage.
Our Mission
To strengthen the
cultural hub of Porto
by bringing great artists from around the world to perform in the beautiful and historic venues that already exist within the city
To cultivate
cross-continental dialogue
through our educational component— with teaching artists, conferences, masterclasses, and international students of the highest level.
Since our start in 2016, we have presented
many international artists, including:
Fernando Costa
Nuno Marques
Clarice Assad
João Luiz
Keita Ogawa
Beatrice Berrut
Yosvany Terry
Evan Shinners
Lara Downes
Lisa Yui
Luis Fernando Perez
Baptiste Trotignon
Ana Ferraz
Zsolt Bognar
Ana Madalena Ribeiro
Artur Pizarro
Stars of American Ballet
Alexander Kobrin
Judith Jauregui
Olga Prats
Orquestra Jazz de Matosinhos
João Paulo Esteves da Silva
António Victorino d’Almeida
Alejandro Oliva
Jean Saulnier
José Ramón Méndez
Selim Mazari
Mariel Mayz
We present the established greats and upcoming stars of the music world.
From large scale concerts at the modern Rem Koolhas building, Casa da Música— a 1,200-seat hall— to the more intimate settings at the hall of the Rectory of the University of Porto, or the magical outdoor garden of the Guerra Junqueiro Museum.
Direction
Porto Pianofest is directed by pianist Nuno Marques, and was co-founded in 2016 by Dr. Marques and pianist-composer Mariel Mayz.
Porto Pianofest is proud to have some of the city’s most important institutions as our partners—
such as, the Câmara Municipal do Porto, Conservatório de Música do Porto, Casa da Música, the Universidade do Porto, Palácio da Bolsa, the Chamber of Commerce, the Board of Portuguese Tourism, Primor, Soalheiro, Taylor Fladgate, and CARA Matosinhos.
Together with our partners, we have presented multi-genred concerts, in diverse settings, complemented by the best wine receptions. Our highlighted partnership with the famous Palácio da Bolsa, unites both locals and tourists in one of the most unique buildings in all of Europe. To make our audience experience even better, these concerts are followed by a wine tasting from Portugal’s oldest vinho verde producers, Soalheiro.
Porto is a city of wine. We are proudly supported by Taylor Fladgate and Vinevinu as well, who provide our international guest artists with tastings, tours, and a closer experience of Porto.
