The classical guitar is a plucked string instrument, constructed from wood, distinguished by its figure-eight shaped soundbox. Its morphology includes a flat neck with metal frets and mechanical tuning pegs. The modern instrument uses six single strings, traditionally made of gut, but today entirely replaced by nylon and metal alloys.
Acoustically, the sound is born from plucking the strings with fingers or nails. The generated vibration is transmitted to the soundboard via the bridge glued to its surface. The soundboard, strategically reinforced internally by a system of structural bars, amplifies the frequencies and projects an intimate, warm, and polyphonically rich timbre, although it has a relatively limited volume projection compared to bowed string instruments.
Historically, this chordophone evolved from the Renaissance vihuela and the five-course Baroque guitar. Its modern architecture was consolidated in the mid-19th century, in Spain, by the eminent builder Antonio de Torres Jurado. Torres increased the body's volume, standardized the vibrating length of the strings, and perfected the internal fan bracing of the soundboard. He thus established the definitive acoustic and morphological standard that characterizes the classical guitar today.
Teachers
Courses with this instrument
Fernando Ponte
Guitar, Ensemble Class
Born in Faro, he began his musical studies at the Conservatório Regional do Algarve Maria Campina, under the guidance of Professor Eudoro Grade. He graduated in Music (Guitar – performance variant) at the Escola Superior de Música de Lisboa, where he studied with Professor Piñeiro Nagy, and later completed a Master's degree in Music Education at ISEIT – Almada, Instituto Piaget.
He began teaching guitar in the academic year 1995/96, and has since taught in various private and cooperative educational institutions in the Algarve region. Throughout his training, he participated in several Masterclasses with internationally renowned guitarists, such as Alberto Ponce, David Russell, Manuel Barrueco, Fabio Zanon, Margarita Escarpa, and Scott Tennant, among others.
He integrated and collaborated on several musical projects of different styles, participating in concerts, national tours, and recordings, notably: the Guitar Quartet “Concordis”, the Algarve Youth Guitar Orchestra, and traditional Portuguese music groups - “Vá de Viró” and “Urze e Zurze”, the alternative music band “Supernova”, as a guest for the national tour of the album “Unavoided Trax”. He also composed the soundtrack for the play “A curva”, by the Al-MaSRAH Teatro company, and translated the Guitar Pro V.5 software into Portuguese.
Currently, performs as a soloist and integrates the Duo “Fortíssimo”.
João Venda (1984), guitarist, born in Lisbon. He began his studies at the Albufeira Conservatory with Professor Rui Mourinho, continuing at the Lagos Music Academy with Pablo González and Juan Camacho León.
Graduated in Music (Classical Guitar) from the Escola Superior de Música de Lisboa, with Professor António Jorge Gonçalves, and in Chamber Music with Nuno Inácio and Fernando Fontes. Master's degree in Specialized Music Teaching from the Instituto Jean Piaget, in Almada, with José Mesquita Lopes.
He performed in recitals, solo and in chamber music ensembles (duets, trios, and quartet), notably the quartet “Concordis”, with performances at national and international festivals and venues, including Festival MED, Teatro Lethes, Lagoa Guitar Festival, Essonne, Les Nuits Musicales de Cieux, Vendôme, Pescara, Palencia, among others.
He participated in masterclasses with Piñero Nagy, Fabio Zanon, Dejan Ivanovic, António Jorge Gonçalves, Jesús Pineda and Ramón Carnota, among others.
In parallel with his activity as a teacher, he develops projects in various musical contexts, exploring different styles and languages, through participation in concerts and collaborations that enrich his artistic experience.
Currently, he teaches at the Conservatório de Albufeira and at the Conservatório de Música de Loulé – Francisco Rosado.
Rui Mourinho
Deputy Director, Guitar
Rui Mourinho (1976), guitarist, born in Portimão. He has been teaching in the M11 recruitment group - Classical Guitar since 2000, and has been a permanent teacher at the Conservatório de Música de Loulé - Francisco Rosado since 2021. He holds a PhD in Music and Musicology from the University of Évora, specializing in performance (2020). He holds a Master's degree in Music Education, specializing in Instrument - Guitar from the Lisbon Superior School of Music (ESML) (2012) and a Master's degree in Music, specializing in Instrument - Guitar from ESML (2011). He holds a Licentiate degree in Music, Instrument Variant, Branch: Guitar from ESML (2004) and a Bachelor's degree in Music, Instrument Variant, Guitar Branch from ESML (2003).
His discography includes three CDs: Outras Músicas, as a member of Vá-de-Viró, Balletti with the Ensemble de Flautas do Município de Loulé and Stephen Goss Guitar Works Vol.1. He performs regularly as a soloist, with orchestra and in chamber music groups on various stages throughout Europe. He is the dedicatee of works by composers such as Gonçalo Lourenço, Cristóvão Silva, André Santos, Pedro Louzeiro and Stephen Goss.