In this third edition of the Music Days in Belém, we will follow in the footsteps of this Baroque master, disclosed by the influence his music had in other composers. This major composer - Johann Sebastian Bach - not only took up and transformed music made in the past, just as he influenced indelibly all future generations of composers until the present day. Which are the reasons that explain this composer had become a milestone on the history of music and Western culture? In which way his music and the innovations introduced by him had such profound consequences all through the centuries? Knowing that his legacy is monumental - yet virtually infinite - the difficulties did not come from the choice of composers and works, but on the awareness that many had to be left out.

The several works and composers featured in this edition of the Music Days reveal that Bach’s influence is present with diverse intensities: sometimes direct and assumed; or else less explicit or even unconscious. His legacy is also expressed in many ways: either in direct quotations, writing techniques, musical genres and forms, either in the countless evocations and tributes made throughout the ages. Programmes were structured not only to touch on all these legacies, but also to ensure the equilibrium of each performance.

During three days, the Centro Cultural de Belém will turn into the country’s musical heart. More than 400 musicians will take the stage at the seven music halls, all running simultaneously. Foreign orchestras such as The King’s Consort, the English Chamber and the Ukrainian Symphonic will meet Portuguese orchestras such as the Metropolitana, the Algarve Orchestra, the Divino Sospiro, the Portuguese Chamber Orchestra and the Orchestrutopica. Besides great names from the international scene such as Huseÿin Sermet, Matthew Halls, Pieter Wispelwey, Sa Chen, Fazil Say, Patrizia Kopatchinskaja and Simone Dinnerstein, the CCB will host quite a great deal of top-class Portuguese musicians, such as Jorge Moyano, Miguel Henriques, Luísa Tender, Filipe Pinto-Ribeiro, Bruno Borralhinho, Pedro Carneiro, Otto Pereira or João Aboim.

Regarding improvised music, the cast is outstanding. Musicians such as Uri Caine and Jacques Loussier (the CCB will celebrate the album’s 50th anniversary - Play Bach), will share the stage with the famous Mário Laginha, Bernardo Sassetti, João Paulo Esteves da Silva, and the double bass players Carlos Bica and Carlos Barretto, who will premiere their project Bach Bica Barretto.

As if it was not enough, the CCB made two commissions: António Pinho Vargas was given the challenge of composing a second tempo for the Brandenburg Concerto nº3, and João Madureira ventured in a rearrangement of The Art of the Fugue. Furthermore, the project Bach Well Tempered will premiere small commissions by Portuguese composers, always with Bach in the background.

Complementing the Music Days programme, there will be chats and conferences, pianos spread all around the CCB (so everyone may join the party), free concerts in the space Música Livre (Free Music), concerts by music school students from all around the country (in a collaboration with the Ministry of Education) and, of course, a programming especially conceived for kids, seniors and for the rest of the family, at the Fábrica das Artes, where the legacy of Bach will assume astonishing outlines.

OPENING HOURS
Friday April 24 ‹ 6:00 pm < concerts will start at 8:00 pm
Saturday April 25 ‹ 11:00 am < concerts will start at 12:00 pm
Sunday April 26 ‹ 10:00 am < concerts will start at 11:00 am

CONCERT NUMBERING
A character always precedes the numbering of the concerts. The A character corresponds to the Fridays concerts, the B character to the Saturdays concerts and the C character to the Sunday concerts. There are no reserved seats, except in the Main Auditorium. The seats are occupied by arrival order. Make your choice in advance and please have the concerts numbering already bared in mind, so that the ticket purchase might be faster and easier.

ITINERARIES
To help you choose the concerts, we drew 6 itineraries: Family, Diversity, Unusual, Free Spirit, Journey in Time and Romantic.

BOOKING
We apologize, but ticket booking is not possible. The programming might be changed due to unforeseen reasons.

ACTIVITIES FOR THE YOUNGEST
On the 25th and 26th of April you will find at the CCB/Fábrica das Artes a set of workshops specially conceived for the youngest (please see page 26 of the agenda). Workshops are open Saturday and Sunday from 10am. Booking shall be done until April 24 at the CCB Box Office through the “Dias da Música” line – 213 612 555 – or at the CCB/Fábrica das Artes during the days of the event. Children under 7 years must be accompanied by an adult in order to participate in the workshops. The admittance is limited to the rooms’ capacity, to those who hold a ticket for the concerts of Music Days in or an admission ticket. Children under 4 years do not need to purchase a ticket.

OTHER SPACES
FREE MUSIC | Within the circulation areas, concerts and recitals will be held, featured by some of the participating artists, as well as by invited pupils and music teachers.

SAUNDRY PIANOS | Several pianos are placed at the CCB, so the audience might perform small concerts or discover this instrument.

CHATS HERE WITH... | at the Reading Room. Informal meetings between the audience and the artists moderated by a guest.

SALES SPACES |CD & book sale and other objects concerning the Festival.

INFORMATION LINE | 213 612 555 everyday from 10:00am to 7:00pm

Agenda’s Festival available at the CCB and www.ccb.pt  

TICKETS FOR SALE
WWW.CCB.PT < online box office < Purchase your tickets from home.

CCB Box Office opens everyday from 10:00 am to 8:00 pm and closes at 9:30 pm during evening performances.
Also at: www.ticketline.pt, www.plateia.pt, FNAC shops (Chiado, Colombo, CascaiShopping, Almada Fórum, GaiaShopping, Braga Parque NorteShopping, Santa Catarina, Atrium Saldanha, Centro Vasco da Gama, AlgarveShopping, Fórum Coimbra and MadeiraShopping), and Bliss, Worten, Abep, Alvalade shops and Oeiras Parque’s Bulhosa bookshop.




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