ON THE
PODIUM
Luis Miguel Clemente approaches conducting as a dialogue between musical understanding, expressive gesture and the collective artistry of the orchestra. His approach combines rigorous preparation and technical precision with the freedom, spontaneity and imagination that bring musical interpretation to life.
Drawing on a wide-ranging education in orchestral conducting, musicology and ethnomusicology, together with a broader engagement with philosophy and the humanities, Clemente approaches each score as both a musical structure and an expressive world to be explored. His technical foundation, shaped by the Musin–Metters conducting tradition, and his doctoral research into Carlos Kleiber’s conducting technique reflect a sustained interest in the relationship between musical thought, gesture and orchestral sound.
On the podium, Clemente seeks to establish a collaborative musical environment in which clarity of intention, attentive listening and mutual responsiveness allow interpretation to develop with both coherence and expressive freedom.
INTERNATIONAL EXPERIENCE
Luis Miguel Clemente has conducted orchestras across Europe, Asia and the Americas, working with ensembles of different musical traditions and artistic backgrounds such as Shen Yun Orchestra, Zagreb Chamber Orchestra, Xalapa Philharmonic Orchestra, Evergreen Symphony Orchestra, Duna Symphony Orchestra, Texas A&M Univ. Orchestra, and Orquestra das Beiras. His conducting has received international recognition, including First Prizes at conducting competitions in Budapest, Hungary, and at the PRISMA Festival in Canada, as well as finalist distinctions at the International Competition for Conductors in Dijon, France, and the Black Sea Conducting Competition in Romania. He was also awarded a scholarship by the Fundación Caja Rural del Sur for achieving the highest academic results in the Cátedra Leonard Bernstein conducting programme at the Escuela de Altos Estudios Musicales in Huelva, Spain.
Alongside his international engagements, Clemente has developed an extensive body of orchestral work as Artistic and Music Director of the Orquestra da Costa Atlântica since 2015. His work with the orchestra encompasses symphonic performances, artistic collaborations and international touring, including a major concert tour of China in 2024, with performances in more than twenty-five cities.
Artistic
Vision
Programming as an extension of interpretation.
For Luis Miguel Clemente, an exceptional concert programme is more than a collection of remarkable works. It is an artistic construction in which each piece acquires new meaning through its relationship with the others. Musical affinities, contrasts, tensions and unexpected connections shape a narrative that unfolds through listening, allowing even familiar masterpieces to be heard in a different light.
REPERTOIRE & DISCOVERY
Clemente approaches programming as a creative process, attentive to the expressive trajectory of an entire concert. The sequence of works, the balance between tension and release, the interplay of timbres and musical gestures, and the relationship between expectation and surprise all contribute to a coherent musical experience. Intellectual connections may inform the programme, but their artistic significance must ultimately be heard rather than explained.
CONTEXT & CONNECTIONS
Expanding the orchestral repertoire is central to Clemente’s artistic vision, but historical neglect alone does not establish artistic value. His interest lies in discovering works whose musical imagination, expressive individuality and compositional substance justify their place alongside established masterpieces. Portuguese musical heritage occupies an important place in this exploration as a repertoire capable of engaging on equal artistic terms with the wider European tradition.
CREATION & RELEVANCE
For Clemente, the dialogue between historical repertoire and contemporary creation is most compelling when each work contributes something essential to the programme. New music is neither an obligatory gesture towards the present nor a decorative addition to familiar masterpieces. It must participate fully in the artistic argument of the concert, opening new possibilities of listening and revealing unexpected perspectives on the music that surrounds it.
Artistic Director & Principal Conductor
ORQUESTRA DA
COSTA ATLÂNTICA
Luis Miguel Clemente has served as Artistic Director and Principal Conductor of the Orquestra da Costa Atlântica (OCA), based in Esposende, Portugal, since 2015.
This long-standing artistic relationship has shaped the orchestra’s artistic direction through a sustained commitment to imaginative programming, bringing Portuguese musical heritage into dialogue with international repertoire. His programmes combine established masterpieces, overlooked and underrepresented composers, and contemporary creation, placing artistic coherence and cultural relevance at the centre of orchestral performance.
PROJECTS
IN FOCUS
ORCHESTRAL SEASON
A concert season conceived and directed by Clemente, combining major symphonic repertoire, rediscovered works and contemporary music.
SELECTED
PROGRAMMES
CHAMBER MUSIC
Through projects including Vozes Silenciadas, Encontros ao Sul and Portugal e o Mundo, Clemente develops chamber music programmes encompassing new commissions, artistic residencies and regional engagement.
MUSIC MEDIATION
Through personally presented concerts and direct dialogue with audiences, Clemente brings musical works into context, making classical repertoire more accessible and engaging.
OCA 2027 - 2030
CARTOGRAFIAS MUSICAIS
Portugal entre o local e o global
Conceived by Luis Miguel Clemente for the Orquestra da Costa Atlântica, Cartografias Musicais (2027–2030) is a four-year artistic cycle structured around distinct annual themes. Bringing Portuguese musical heritage into dialogue with international repertoire, the project reflects Clemente’s approach to long-term artistic programming.
COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT
Initiatives such as the Coro Sénior de Esposende extend Clemente’s artistic work into participatory music-making, encouraging cultural engagement across generations.
2027 | DESENCONTROS
Missed Encounters
2028 | PAISAGENS
Landscapes
2029 | TRAVESSIAS
Crossings
2030 | RESSONÂNCIAS
Resonances