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João Barradas
João Barradas - Accordion / Synth Player
About Me
João Barradas is one of the most recognized young accordionists in Europe. At age 22 is
the winner, in various categories, of the most important competitions in the world like
Trophée Mondiale Accordeon, Coupe Mondiale Accordeon, Citta Di Castelfidardo
Competition and many other prizes.
He is one of the most distinguished voices on the accordion jazz scene nowadays
working as a leader or sideman with names like: João Paulo Esteves da Silva, Sérgio
Carolino, Nelson Cascais, Bruno Pedroso, Carlos Barretto, Paula Oliveira, João Moreira,
Afonso Pais, Pedro Madaleno, Alexandre Frazão, Hugo Trindade, Marcelo Araújo,
Ricardo Toscano, Bernardo Moreira, Gileno Santana, Joel Silva, Demian Cabaud, Rita
Maria, Luís Candeias, Eduardo Cardinho, Yuri Daniel, Jacob Sacks or Sarpay Özçağatay.
João was born in Portugal, Porto Alto, Samora Correia in February, 1992 and began to
learn the accordion at the age of 6, at Music School of Samora Correia, at the age of 7
entered IMVM in Lisbon and the age of 9 entered the 2d grade of The Official Accordion
Course, having as a teacher Aníbal Freire, 2 times World Champion of Accordion. João
finished The Official Accordion Course with 20 average (Max classification). Since 2010.
the preparation for Internacional and Nacional Competitions is done, in France, with the
prestigious professor Frédéric Deschamps.
Growing up as a child prodigy, his perfect pitch, sigh-reading and excellent technique
gave him the opportunity to act in various concert halls among the most famous
accordionists in the history, like: Friederich Lips, Viatcheslav Semyonov, Yuri Shishkin,
Richard Galliano, Alexander Dmitriev, Grayson Masefield, Aydar Gaynullin, Jérôme
Richard, Eugénia Lima, Mario Stefano Pietrodarchi, Aude Giuliano, Vitali Dmitriev or Eric
Bouvelle.
In spite of being young, he has taken part at many concerts: at The Maria Matos Theatre,
The São Luis Theatre, The Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation in Lisbon, The Camões
Theatre, European Concert at Jerónimos Abbey, Torre de Belém Concert, European
Concert at The Belém Cultural Centre, the Concert at Noble Hall of National
Conservatoire, Casa da Música (Porto), The House of Opera in Samara (Russia), Noble
Hall of The Financial Ministry and many others.
João worked his performance and technique with the most well-known international
artists, like: Greg Osby, Mark Turner, Avishai Cohen, Jim Black, Viatcheslav Semyonov,
Eric Harland, Nir Felder, Frédéric Deschamps, Carlos Bica, Miguel Zenón, Robin
Eubanks, Matt Penman,Paulo Jorge Ferreira, Stefan Harris, Frank Mobus or Friederich
Lips.
As contemporary accordionist, João Barradas has collaborated with composers Pedro
Carneiro, Nuno da Rocha, Dimitris Andrikopoulos, Vitorino Matono, Jarmo Sermila,
Edgar Saramago, Tuomas Turriago, Joaquim Raposo, Etiene Crausaz, Filipe Melo, André
Santos, Jon Hansen and Eugénio Amorim.
2000 – 1st Prize in VI National Trophy of Accordion – Initiated Category
2000 – 1st Prize in 12th Accordion Festival of Barra Cheia
2001 – 1st Prize in 13th Accordion Festival of Barra Cheia
2002 – 1st Prize in VIII National Trophy of Accordion – Infantile Category
2003 – 1st Prize in 36th International Accordion Competition, Croatia, B Category
2004 – 1st Prize in 29th International “Città di Castelfidardo” Award, Italy, H Category
2005 – 1st Prize in XI National Trophy of Accordion – Juvenile Varietté Category
2006 – 1st Prize in I Cermame de Acordeons Vila de Cedeira, Classic Júnior Category
2006 – 1st Prize in XII National Trophy of Accordion – Juvenile Varietté Category
2006 – 1st Prize in XII National Trophy of Accordion – Juvenile Classic Category
2006 – 1st Prize in III Iberian Trophy of Accordion – Juvenile Varietté Category
2006 – 1st Prize in III Iberian Trophy of Accordion – Juvenile Classical Category
2007 – 1st Prize in XIII National Trophy of Accordion – Juvenile Varietté Category
2007 – 1st Prize in XIII National Trophy of Accordion – Juvenile Classic Category
2007 – 1st Prize in II Certame de Acordeons Vila de Cedeira, Spain – Júnior Varietté
2007 – 1st Prize in IV Iberian Trophy of Accordion – Juvenile Varietté Category
2007 – 1st Prize in IV Iberian Trophy of Accordion – Juvenile Classic Category
2007 – 1st Prize in 57th World Trophy of Accordion (CMA), Russia – Junior Varietté
2008 – 1st Prize in XIV National Trophy of Accordion, Junior Classic Category
2009 – 1st Prize in XV National Trophy of Accordion, Junior Classic Category
2010 – 1st Prize in XVI National Trophy of Accordion, Junior Classic Category
2010 – 1st Prize in International Prize of Accordion “City of Alcobaça”
2010 – 1st Prize in 60th World Trophy of Accordion (CMA), Spain – Junior Classical
2010 – 1st Prize in 63th Coupe Mondiale (CIA), Croatia – Junior Classical
2012 – 1st Prize in EDP Cool Jazz Talents
2013 – 1st Prize in Folefest 2013
2013 – 1st Prize in 11th Jazz Fest of São Luiz Theatre
2013 - 1st Prize in 7th V-Accordion Festival Roland Iberia
2014 - 1st Prize in Folefest 2014