The festival takes place from July 4th to 25th in Óbidos, Caldas da Rainha and Lisbon and features artists such as Artur Pizarro, Boris Berman, Mário Laginha Quartet and a rare Japan-Europe musical fusion.
Between July 4th and 25th, the West region celebrates the 30th edition of the Óbidos International Piano Week (SIPO), an initiative by ACIM – Association of International Music Courses, which has established itself as a national and international reference in artistic training and the celebration of the piano. This year, the festival will be held in Óbidos, Caldas da Rainha and Lisbon, with a total of 14 concerts, masterclasses, conferences and exhibitions, maintaining a balance between pedagogical excellence, renowned performers and young talents from around the world.
The program for this edition includes recitals by great names in international piano — such as Artur Pizarro, Boris Berman, Andrea Bonatta, James Giles and Jorge Luis Prats — as well as a concert by Mário Laginha Quarteto, which pays tribute to Carlos Paredes, and the concert “The Encounter of Japan with Europe”, with pianist Jun Kanno and shamisen master Mozibei Tokiwazu V. The closing ceremony, on July 25, will take place with the original version of Rossini’s Petite Messe Solennelle, at the Santuário do Senhor Jesus da Pedra.
SIPO will also once again welcome the winners of the ACIM/Antena 2 Award. Pianists Arturo Abellán and Thomas Filipiuk – distinguished for their exceptional quality at the 2024 Masterclasses – will perform recitals in Caldas da Rainha, Óbidos and Lisbon, between 10 and 21 July.
“This edition celebrates the maturity and learning accumulated over three decades, but also SIPO’s deep connection with the region”, highlights Manuela Gouveia, founder and artistic director. “Since 1996, we have sought to offer high-level training to young Portuguese and international pianists in a demanding and transformative environment. We have already welcomed students from more than 50 countries and annually award a performance prize with recitals and concrete financial support for the beginning of their careers.” In addition to the masterclasses, the programme also includes a conference by conductor and composer Alexandre Delgado (Antena 2) and the opening of a sculpture exhibition by artist Maria Leal da Costa with photographs by João Frazão.
The partnership with other cities has been fundamental to the consolidation of the festival. Conceição Henriques, Councillor for Culture at Caldas da Rainha Council, stresses the strategic importance of the partnership with ACIM: “It would be difficult for us to offer this type of programme independently. SIPO’s specialisation and international network are irreplaceable. This collaboration has been cherished and deepened year after year. Furthermore, we value the fact that this is not an exclusively local initiative. The Caldas–Óbidos axis projects the festival into a regional dimension that is relevant to the entire culture of the West.”
On the Óbidos side, the municipality highlights the importance of local synergies to affirm the cultural identity of the territory. “Partnerships like the one we have with ACIM are essential to reinforce our strategy as a UNESCO Creative City, promoting culture, identity and community development,” says Margarida Reis, Councillor for Culture at the Óbidos City Council.
Mário Branquinho, director of the Caldas da Rainha Cultural and Congress Centre (CCC), “hosting SIPO concerts has been a privilege and a stimulus to our artistic programming, both in the CCC’s indoor spaces and in the ‘Outdoors’ program. It is a cycle with a high artistic level, which notably complements the cultural diversity we promote throughout the year.”
With free admission to several events and a single price of R$12.50 for other shows, SIPO reaffirms its position as a meeting place for generations, styles and geographies.
The full program is available at pianobidos.org.
PROGRAM
04/07 | 5:00 p.m. Opening of Sculpture Exhibition, Maria Leal da Costa
- Casa da Barbacam Pavilion
09/07 | 9:00 p.m. Mário Laginha Quartet plays Carlos Paredes
- Mário Laginha, piano; Julian Arguelles, saxophones;
- Romeo Tristão, double bass; João Pereira, drums
- CCC Caldas da Rainha
10/07 | 6:00 p.m. Arturo Abellán, piano; Thomas Filipiuk, piano
- SIPO 2024 Laureates ACIM/Antena 2
- L. Almeida Museum – Caldas da Rainha
11/07 | 7:00 p.m. Arthur Pizarro, piano
- Creativity Square, Óbidos
12/07 | 7:00 p.m. Boris Berman, piano
- Creativity Square, Óbidos
13/07 | 7:00 p.m. Manuela Gouveia, piano
- Eliseu Silva, violin
- Creativity Square, Óbidos
14/07 | 7:00 p.m. Andrea Bonatta, piano
- Creativity Square, Óbidos
15/07 | 4:00 p.m. Conference
- Alexandre Delgado
- Creativity Square, Óbidos
15/07 | 7:00 p.m. James Giles, piano
- Creativity Square, Óbidos
16/07 | 7:00 p.m. Jorge Luis Prats, piano
- Creativity Square, Óbidos
18/07 | 7:00 p.m. Arturo Abellán, piano; Thomas Filipiuk, piano
- SIPO 2024 Laureates ACIM/Antena 2
- Creativity Square Óbidos
07/19 | 5:00 p.m. + 9:00 p.m. SIPO 2025 Participants
- ACIM/Antena 2 Award
- Creativity Square, Óbidos
07/20 | 6:00 p.m. Pianofest XXX SIPO
- Creativity Square, Óbidos
07/21 | 7:00 p.m. Arturo Abellán, piano; Thomas Filipiuk, piano
- SIPO 2024 Laureates ACIM/Antena 2
- Museum of the Orient
07/24 | 9:00 p.m. The meeting of Japan with Europe
- Jun Kanno, piano; Mozibei Tokiwazu V, shamisen
- CCC Caldas da Rainha
07/25 | 9:00 p.m. Petite Messe Solenelle, G. Rossini
- Antonio Sergio Ferreira, conductor; Luís Duarte, piano;
- Beatriz David, harmonium; Liliana Nogueira, Rafaella Veiga, Leonel Pinheiro, Pedro
- Telles, Coro Porto Ensemble
- Santuário Nosso Senhor da Pedra, Óbidos
About the Óbidos International Piano Week
The first edition of the Óbidos International Piano Week (SIPO) took place in August 1996. Since then, without interruption, SIPO has brought together great music personalities and young students from all over the world, providing musical improvement through intense work with highly renowned masters.
For ten days, Óbidos is filled with piano music, with masterclasses during the day and concerts in the evening, which are part of the International Music Festival. SIPO has attracted a diverse audience and created a new enthusiastic audience of all ages and backgrounds in the region, which has traditionally been lacking in cultural events of this nature.
About the Association of International Music Courses
The Association of International Music Courses (ACIM), founded in 1996 and based in Óbidos, aims to create a hub of internationally renowned artistic and cultural activities in Portugal, with an emphasis on quality and continuity of initiatives, highlighting the training of young musicians.
Locally, ACIM has contributed significantly to the cultural and tourist development of the Western Region, promoting the Óbidos International Piano Week (SIPO) since 1996. In 2005, the Óbidos City Council awarded ACIM the Municipal Merit Medal for organising SIPO, recognising its cultural value and impact on the development of the municipality.
SIPO brings internationally renowned musicians to the town of Óbidos, offering a meeting place for young music students. This event is one of the most important in the Portuguese music scene, with international repercussions. SIPO includes technical training courses for advanced students and pianists at the beginning of their careers, allowing them to improve their skills with great personalities in music. Since 1996, students from more than 50 countries have participated in SIPO master classes.
In addition, SIPO promotes professional contacts and exchanges of experiences, providing a high-level artistic and cultural exchange. SIPO is organised by ACIM, with support from the City of Óbidos and the Department of Culture, which has granted it the status of Cultural Interest since its inception.
Always confirm with the concert hall or promoter the conditions of access, confirmation of the date or time, ticket place of sale, price, and availability.
