On the 10th May, Técnico – Taguspark campus was filled with the musical notes that came out of Francisco Monteiro’s Italian accordion. It was the debut of the musical aspect of Técnico’s new project “Viver a Cultura @Técnico Tagus”.
Francisco told us how, dazzled by the accordion offered by his grandfather, he learned, from an early age, the art of strumming. He doesn’t come from a family of musicians, but influenced by a schoolmate who played the violin, he decided to choose an instrument. A student of articulated education, in which it is possible to reconcile the subjects of regular education with artistic education, he told us how the accordion appeared in his life. “I had already chosen the piano. But on the day of registration, the accordion teacher asked me if I wanted to try the instrument. Despite not being interested, I ended up trying it out. I liked it so much that I changed my mind. After fifteen minutes of class I played a whole song, something that normally happens after two weeks of classes”, he adds.
“I played every day after school, when I got home, late into the night” adds Francisco. It was then that, three months later, challenged by his teacher, he participated in what would be his first concert, the Christmas one.
He attended the “Conservatory of Portimão – Joly Braga Santos” and later joined Técnico, participated in several national and international competitions, winning some of them, including the National Trophy in 2012. At the moment, he combines the Degree in Industrial Engineering and Management at Técnico, on the Taguspark campus, with his passion: the accordion.
Throughout the concert, on the afternoon of May 10, he showed his versatility and friendliness, playing classical and other eclectic arrangements.
The project “Viver a Cultura @Técnico Tagus”, coordinated by Professor Ana Moura Santos (Department of Mathematics, DMIST), aims to periodically bring a musical moment to the campus. Open to the academic community and society in general, this project aims to cross the arts and science.
