New Album coming soon
What if fado and classical guitar met over a glass of wine?
The goal of my album is to create a new repertoire for classical guitar inspired by the famous themes of fado. This album is not just a simple reinterpretation of music, it also tackles essential themes related to cultural identity and the complexity of growing up between two worlds. As someone who grew up between Portugal and Switzerland, I’ve often faced this constant duality, this sense of belonging to two cultures but never fully rooted in either. My project aims to open a space for discussion around this concept of identity, particularly for those living between cultures, who often find themselves navigating between different worlds while seeking their own place.
This album is also a tribute to all those who had to leave their homeland, often driven by difficult circumstances, and who experienced uprooting, the pain of departure, but also the quest for a new sense of belonging. By revisiting fado themes, I wish to honor these stories of migration, searching for meaning, and resilience, while encouraging a dialogue about the unique challenges faced by those, like myself, who have grown up in this gray area between two cultures. My album aims to be a space for reflection and celebration, where music becomes a powerful vehicle for exploring these complex realities.
Creating a new repertoire for the guitar also invites new guitarists and composers to see the classical guitar as an evolving instrument with endless potential. Modern composers have an opportunity to infuse the classical guitar repertoire with genres such as jazz, folk, world music, and even experimental styles. These elements not only challenge and broaden the technical range of the instrument but also bring fresh perspectives to classical guitar audiences. For example, integrating influences from flamenco, Latin American rhythms, or traditional folk melodies from diverse cultures can redefine what the classical guitar can express. This shift would give the instrument a more inclusive voice, making it a true reflection of today’s world. In addition to stylistic diversity, new repertoire can explore themes that resonate with contemporary listeners—topics like identity, migration, technology, and environmental awareness. By encouraging pieces that reflect these realities, the guitar becomes a medium for storytelling and social commentary, inviting audiences to connect with the music on a deeper level.
"Tiago's arrangements are, in my opinion, deeply personal, reflecting his ties to the Fado tradition while simultaneously presenting his unique artistic story. His arrangements are stylistically well-informed, capturing the essence of Fado music while making it accessible and expressive on the classical guitar. This wonderful blend of tradition and innovation has resulted in arrangements that are not only unique, original, and perfectly suitable for the instrument but are also quite important and valuable for the classical guitar repertoire." - Vojin Kocic.
What is fado?
It is difficult, if not impossible, to explain in a few words what Fado is. As Amália Rodrigues said: "O fado é um mistério. Nunca ninguém vai conguir explicá-lo!" - "Fado is a mystery. No one will ever be able to explain it!". But let's try to put it into words.
Fado is sung by singers called "Fadistas" who are accompanied by two instruments, the Portuguese guitar which flirts with the voice while the "viola de fado" provides rhythmic and harmonic accompaniment. But what makes Fado so unique? Fado is a pure and sincere expression of the deepest emotions emanating from the lyrics, and here lies the duty of the fadista, to convey the character of the lyrics through his voice in the most legitimate way. Melancholy, sadness, nostalgia and "saudade" are omnipresent themes in this music.
"A Saudade é a poesia do Fado". - Saudade is the poetry of Fado" - Fernando Pessoa
After a few glasses of red wine...
Project conceptualization and creative process
When I arrived at Zurich University of the Arts in 2019, I found a suitable place to develop my ideas. With the support of Anders Miolin and Vojin Kocic, I started to play, on my guitar, the famous themes by Amália Rodrigues while immersing myself in Portuguese guitar techniques. I soon realized that there was an interesting path to be discovered in the meeting of these two worlds.
One of the first questions I asked myself concerned the choice of repertoire: what kind of fado would I arrange, and how could I determine whether a particular fado would go well with classical guitar?
To this end, I turned my attention to "Fado Tradicional" and "Fado Canção", two major fado families.
Fado Tradicional is a kind of Fado that is spontaneous, thanks to the improvisation of the Portuguese guitar and the originality of the texts sung by the fadists (singers). Its adaptation for the classical guitar is complicated, if not impossible. Indeed, this music exists only through the creativity of the fadists, who, once they have written their text and without prior rehearsal, invite the resident musicians of the fado houses to bring the lyrics to life. "Fado Tradicional" is a momentary thing that happens only once.
However, this intimate and creative approach to "Fado Tradicional" led me to mix this style of fado with "Fado Canção", whose characteristics make it easier to arrange for the classical guitar. The "Fado Canção" can be defined as a song with verses and a chorus to which the fado player must always remain faithful. His role is mainly to interpret, not to write. For me, it's easier to arrange these kinds of familiar melodies and modify them slightly, inlaying new elements linked to the theme of cultural identity, as can be seen in the examples given above.
So, by mixing the philosophy of "Fado Tradicional" with that of "Fado Canção" and adding the above-mentioned themes, I challenge this musical genre that is so deeply linked to the Portuguese soul, and takes the liberty of highlighting an important point in Portuguese history: emigration.