Quarteto Parnaso
Quarteto Parnaso is formed by guitarists Augusto Pacheco, Carlos David, Gonçalo Morais and Paulo Andrade, all graduates of Higher Schools of Music in Portugal, with part of the group having pursued specialisation in Paris under Master Alberto Ponce. Their deep personal and musical rapport, combined with a high level of pedagogical experience and ensemble playing, embodies the values and technical and human qualities essential to making music of excellence.
Over the course of their career, the Quartet has performed on numerous national and international stages, with highlights including the Centro Cultural de Belém, Teatro Rivoli, Theatro Circo, Sociedade Martins Sarmento (as part of Guimarães 2012 – European Capital of Culture), Gaia World Music, the Festival de Música de Leiria and the Festival Internacional de Música de Plectro "Cidade da Maia", among others. Internationally, the group has performed at the Università Pontificia Salesiana in Rome, as well as in Paris, at the Cité Internationale Universitaire de Paris — Maison du Brésil and Maison du Portugal — and at the Église Saint-Denis. In November 2025, at the invitation of the Festival Guitare'Essonne, the Quartet gave the world premiere of an arrangement by composer Nuno Peixoto de Pinho of "Cinco Zecas" by Zeca Afonso, for Guitar Quartet and Orchestra.
In the guitar world, the ensemble has established a presence at numerous festivals dedicated to the instrument, among them the Festival Internacional de Guitarra de Sernancelhe, the Festival de Guitarra de Castelo Branco and the Festival de Guitarra de Braga.
Augusto Pacheco
Graduated from the Escola Superior de Música e das Artes do Espetáculo do Porto in the class of Prof. José Pina. Premier Prix at the Conservatoire National de Région d'Aubervilliers – La Courneuve/Paris in the class of Prof. Alberto Ponce; also studied under the same professor at the École Normale de Musique de Paris.
He studied Early Chamber Music at the Conservatoire Municipal Claude Debussy with Prof. Ilton Wjunisky, participating in a production of H. Purcell's opera Dido and Aeneas.
He holds a Master's degree in "The Guitar Works of Fernando Lopes-Graça" and a Doctorate in "Alberto Ponce – 'La musique avant tout' — tone and fingering" from the University of Aveiro.
He has studied with Robert Brightmore, Leo Brouwer, Abel Carlevaro, Jozef Zsapka, Betho Davezac, David Russell and Roland Dyens.
He performs as a soloist and with various chamber music ensembles at the most important festivals in Portugal, and has also performed in Spain, France, Switzerland, Sweden and Russia.
Discography: Porto Poente, Pourquoi Pas, Dedilhando Graça, Lux and Cinco Zecas.
He has been soloist with the Orquestra Nacional do Porto, Orquestra Clássica da Madeira, Esproarte, Filarmonia das Beiras, the Russian Silver Strings Orchestra, and at the II Estágio de Cordas Dedilhadas da Cidade de Braga, conducted by Leo Brouwer, giving the Portuguese premiere of Brouwer's concerto for two guitars and guitar orchestra — Concierto de Tricastin.
He founded and directed the Guitar Orchestra of the Academia de Música de Vilar do Paraíso, winning 1st Prize Cum Laude at the European Youth Music Festival in Neerpelt; 1st Prize at the GoFi Contest in Bad Nauheim-Frankfurt; and 1st Prize at the International Competition Cidade de Fundão. The orchestra performed in St Petersburg, Paris, Euro Jugendmusik Festival Offenburg and New York – Carnegie Hall, and recorded four CDs: Cordas Soltas, Contrastes, Plaisir and 20 Anos Orquestra de Guitarras.
He teaches at the Fórum Cultural de Gulpilhares, the Escola Profissional de Espinho and the Conservatório de Música do Porto.
Carlos David
He began his musical studies in 1998 at the Academia de Música de Vilar do Paraíso, where he completed the complementary course under the guidance of teacher Augusto Pacheco. During that period, he was a member of the Academy's Guitar Orchestra, with which he performed in concerts and competitions in Belgium, Germany, France and Russia, including CD recordings.
He participated in national and international competitions, winning 1st prize at the Concurso de Santa Cecília and an honourable mention at the Conservatório do Porto competition.
He subsequently enrolled at ESMAE, where he completed the first year of the Guitar Degree under the guidance of teacher José Pina.
He attended the École Normale de Musique Alfred Cortot, studying in the classes of Alberto Ponce (classical guitar) and Claude Lelong (Chamber Music).
He attended various technical and musical masterclasses, notably with Alberto Ponce, José Pina, Betho Davezac, Michael Lewin, Frank Bungarten, Rémi Jousselme and Miguel Carvalhinho.
In 2010 he enrolled at the University of Évora, in the class of teacher Dejan Ivanovic. At the same institution he completed his Guitar Degree (2011) and subsequently joined the teaching staff as a tutor.
In 2015 he completed a Master's degree in Music Teaching – Guitar at the University of Minho, under the supervision of teacher Ricardo Barceló.
He recorded the CD Cinco Zecas with Quarteto Parnaso, with arrangements by guitarist Paulo Andrade.
He currently teaches at the Fórum Cultural de Gulpilhares and the Academia de Música de Paços de Brandão. He is a member of Quarteto Parnaso.
Gonçalo Pires de Morais
He began his studies at the Academia de Música de Vilar do Paraíso in 1999. In 2005 he completed the complementary course in the class of Prof. Augusto Pacheco, the same year in which he was awarded prizes in several national competitions. That year he also enrolled at ESMAE (Porto), in the class of Prof. José Pina, where he completed the first year.
In 2006 he enrolled at the École Normale de Musique de Paris in the class of Professor Alberto Ponce, where, in 2010, he was awarded the Diplôme Supérieur d'Exécution de Guitare.
In 2016 he completed a Master's degree in Music Teaching at the University of Aveiro, under the supervision of Prof. Pedro Rodrigues.
He has attended masterclasses with professors Alberto Ponce, Julius Kurauskas, Frank Bungarten, Roberto Aussel, Betho Davezac and José Pina.
He has given numerous recitals in Portugal and France and is a member of Quarteto Parnaso, with whom notable performances include the Festival Internacional de Guitarra de Sernancelhe, Festival de Guitarra de Braga, Festival de Guitarra de Castelo Branco, Festival de Música de Leiria, Dias da Música 2015 (CCB), Guimarães 2012 — European Capital of Culture, a concert at Teatro Rivoli, and the Cité Universitaire de Paris, among others.
He is currently a teacher and pedagogical director at the Academia de Música de Vilar do Paraíso.
Paulo Andrade
He began learning electric bass in 1994 at Rock and School with Paulo Barros and José Aguiar. In 1996 he started studying classical guitar at the Academia de Música de Vilar do Paraíso and, in 2000, completed the Complementary Course in music. That same year he enrolled at ESMAE (Porto), where in 2003 he completed his Bachelor's degree in the class of teacher José Pina. In 2007 he completed a Degree in Classical Guitar at the Escola Superior de Artes Aplicadas (Castelo Branco), in the class of teacher Miguel Carvalhinho.
He was leader of the Guitar Orchestra of the Academia de Música de Vilar do Paraíso until 2006, with whom he performed a wide range of concerts in Portugal and abroad, highlights including participation in the European Youth Music Festival in Neerpelt, Belgium, where the orchestra won 1st Prize cum laude; the 10th anniversary celebrations of the Russian Silver Strings Orchestra in St Petersburg; and 1st Prize at the International Guitar Orchestra Festival in Bad Nauheim, Germany.
With the Orchestra he recorded three albums: "Cordas Soltas" (2001), "Contrastes" (2003) and "Plaisir" (2006).
He has participated as a bassist in various ensembles and recordings, notably Clockwise, The Fire, Melodrama and Botequim Fantasma. He regularly performs in musicals, including Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, Rent, Dracula, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, Addams Family, Legally Blonde and West Side Story.
He has been a teacher at the Academia de Música de Vilar do Paraíso since 1998.