Afonso Teles – Composer, Conductor, Producer

His main interest is to join contemporary and classical repertoire in thoughtful combinations. In this regard, he has recently worked with both leading and up-and-coming composers such as Anna Thorvaldsdottir, Bill Connor and Bethan Morgan-Williams.

He was assistant conductor in programmes of the BBC Phil, RLPO, Opera North Orchestra and Psappha. As assistant, he worked with conductors such as Omer Meir Wellber, Garry Walker, Domingo Hindoyan, Ben Gernon and Kerem Hassan. In the RNCM, he was assistant to an RNCM opera production (Menotti’s The Medium, cond. Peter Robinson). He was the first master’s student to receive this role.

During his studies, Afonso attended masterclasses with Sir Mark Elder, Ludovic Morlot, Anthony Hermus, David Hill, Barry Wordsworth, Jean-Sébastien Béreau, among several others.

A Gulbenkian Scholarship as well as the Garner Howard Award supported his studies in the UK. At the end of his degree, he received the Mortimer Furber Prize for Conducting.

As a composer, he won the 1st prize of the VII International Composition Competition (P. de Varzim Festival 2014). His works have been performed in Portugal, UK, and Bosnia and Herzegovina in festivals such as Música Viva, Pianoporto, Tuzla Guitar Week, Festival de Música do Tejo, among others.

As a producer,Afonso collaborated with Musiversal and Neper Music for more than 6 years. He recorded with dozens of artists such as Ludwig Forsell, Manoj George, Ralf Hildenbeutel, David Kalmusky and Katherine Rawdon. His producer/conductor credits count 200+ tracks in studios all throughout Europe.

Coming from a musical family, he began learning to play the piano at 5 years old. Never one to stop learning, he later switched to the classical guitar, composing and conducting. Though it is not his main focus, he still occasionally performs and records as a guitarist.