for a less coherent
account of my affairs please read below
Throughout his Medical
School years at the University of Coimbra, Miguel started playing in
several ensembles. Ranging from orchestra to Ethnic and Jazz to Folk.
The instruments played varied almost as much as the ensembles;
keyboards, guitar, bass guitar, cavaquinho (the original steel string
ukulele) and later soprano sax.
After graduation and
the odd job as cartoonist and scuba diver instructor in Lisbon, he
decided to resurface in London. A quick stop in New York – no direct
flights to London I’m afraid - allowed him to get acquainted with a
country band, with whom he played (cavaquinho) briefly in Manhattan. He
was then invited to join and tour the US by an ethnic-fusion band. But
his skills were still a green card away.
In London at last, Miguel started to study audio production and
orchestration by himself and, a few months later, Indie rock band Lapland
invited him to join their ensemble playing keyboards and trumpet. For
two years they toured the UK and recorded a couple of albums.
One day, a student from the London Film School asked him to score his
graduation film, and there was no turning back.
Self taught and with a
passion for playing and collecting every musical instrument known to
man, Miguel started to score more and more projects that went on to
play at Cannes, Edinburgh and other main film festivals around the
world.
From TV commercials to feature films and from documentaries to
installations he has scored for big live ensembles and studio based
electronic productions.
Miguel has vastly
increased his collection of musical instruments by now - always trying
to incorporate them in a fresh and original way into his scores. He is
also a baritone/deep bass singer (the reason there are no dogs in his
neighborhood). His knowledge of instrument playing techniques,
electronics and audio software allow him to push the envelope of
experimentation with each score that requires a new approach.
Between 2004 and 2007
Miguel was also audio editor for Showreel magazine, writing about film
music, audio software and hardware.
In the beginning of
2007, Miguel completed his MA in Composition for Film at the National Film and Television
School, and was subsequently selected by the AMPAS and NFTS to attend a series of
workshops and meetings in Los Angeles.
In the summer of 2007, the PRS Foundation invited him to attend a
creative residency in China.
He is a member of PRS
(Performing Rights Society) and the BASCA British Academy of
Songwriters, Composers and Authors.
