Orquestra Clássica da Madeira
The Orquestra Clássica da Madeira (Madeira Classical Orchestra) was originally founded as the Orquestra de Câmara da Academia de Música da Madeira (Chamber Orchestra of the Madeira Music Academy), conceptualised and managed by the old Academia de Música e Belas Artes da Madeira (Madeira Academy of Music and Fine Arts) (AMBAM), on the 13th of February 1964. On this date the orchestra gave its first public performance at the Portuguese Music Festival, which took place both integrally and for the first time in the city of Funchal, in the Municipal Theatre Teatro Municipal Baltazar Dias.
The Chamber Orchestra of the Madeira Music Academy was created by Professor Jorge Madeira Carneiro, violinista and director of the music department of AMBAM. The aim of the orchestral was initially exclusively pedagogical and for that reason it consisted of students who attended the Superior Course and some teaching staff from AMBAM. The teachers were invited to fill in on instruments where there was a lack of students with the necessary level to participate in the ensemble. At the beginning of the 1970s, and because this orchestra had been made up of old students and teachers, with an average of 15 to 20 participants, the orchestra broke away from AMBAM and began its journey under the name of the Orquestra de Câmara da Madeira (Madeira Chamber Orchestra).
On the 17th of May 1984, after twenty years, the Orquestra de Câmara da Madeira became a designated association, through the signing of a public contract by the second registry of the notary Graciano Ferreira Alves at the Notary Office of Funchal.
Over the years, its constitution has been altered with the integration of various wind instruments, strings and percussion. In the mid 1990s, thanks to the decisive support of the Regional Government of Madeira, there was a reinforcement of around forty performers, giving it the status of “Classical” and it was as the beginning of the 1996/1997 season that the orchestra became known as the Orquestra Clássica da Madeira (Madeira Classical Orchestra).
Since the 27th of May 2013, the Madeira Classical Orchestra has been managed and dynamized by the Associação Notas e Sinfonias Atlânticas (Atlantic Notes and Symphonies Association). It is one of the longest active orchestras in the country with, to this present day around sixty years of existence (2024).
The Chamber Orchestra of the Madeira Music Academy was created by Professor Jorge Madeira Carneiro, violinista and director of the music department of AMBAM. The aim of the orchestral was initially exclusively pedagogical and for that reason it consisted of students who attended the Superior Course and some teaching staff from AMBAM. The teachers were invited to fill in on instruments where there was a lack of students with the necessary level to participate in the ensemble. At the beginning of the 1970s, and because this orchestra had been made up of old students and teachers, with an average of 15 to 20 participants, the orchestra broke away from AMBAM and began its journey under the name of the Orquestra de Câmara da Madeira (Madeira Chamber Orchestra).
On the 17th of May 1984, after twenty years, the Orquestra de Câmara da Madeira became a designated association, through the signing of a public contract by the second registry of the notary Graciano Ferreira Alves at the Notary Office of Funchal.
Over the years, its constitution has been altered with the integration of various wind instruments, strings and percussion. In the mid 1990s, thanks to the decisive support of the Regional Government of Madeira, there was a reinforcement of around forty performers, giving it the status of “Classical” and it was as the beginning of the 1996/1997 season that the orchestra became known as the Orquestra Clássica da Madeira (Madeira Classical Orchestra).
Since the 27th of May 2013, the Madeira Classical Orchestra has been managed and dynamized by the Associação Notas e Sinfonias Atlânticas (Atlantic Notes and Symphonies Association). It is one of the longest active orchestras in the country with, to this present day around sixty years of existence (2024).