Author

Mickael Viegas embarked on his musical journey at the tender age of nine, diving into the world of guitar that would shape his future. His early passion led him to the prestigious Escola Superior de Música de Lisboa, where he honed his skills and deepened his understanding of music. Alongside his formal education, Mickael seized the opportunity to learn from esteemed international composers and musicians, including Roland Dyens, Leo Brouwer, Sergio and Odair Assad,

Alberto Ponce, and Manuel Barrueco. In 2009, he furthered his studies at the Universidad de Extremadura, earning a master’s degree in Classical Guitar and Musical Interpretation under the guidance of Spanish maestro Ricardo Gállen. During his time in Madrid, he published his first book, Drums on Guitar – The Guitar Rudiments, through AVA Editions. This innovative work redefined guitar pedagogy by integrating the biomechanics of the human body with techniques derived from percussion instruments. Mickael’s groundbreaking approach garnered attention, leading him to participate in various lectures and guitar festivals where he shared his new methodology.

In 2016, he released the double album The Complete Guitar Works of Heitor Villa-Lobos: The Prospect of a Future Guitar with Paraty Editions. An interpretation of Heitor Villa-Lobos’ works based on the extensive resources of a potential future guitar, along with a video-documentary that addresses the entire ideology and process behind the phonograph record. The album has received international critical acclaim, being referenced among the world’s most prestigious classical guitar magazines, namely CLASSICAL GUITAR MAGAZINE “...there can be little doubt Viegas also allowed himself free artistic rein. And so he should, because this astonishing studio creation offers Villa-Lobos as we never imagined it. It also establishes Mickael Viegas as a world-class guitarist...”

Dedicated to revitalizing the classical music recital, Mickael developed an innovative live show to showcase the album. This culminated in the feature film The Prospect of a Future, which featured dancers in a choreographed performance, blending multiple artistic disciplines—music, dance, literature, visual arts, philosophy, and architecture. His visionary project caught the attention of the renowned newspaper Observador, leading to his role as a featured artist in the video-documentary series Cartography of Talents.

In 2018, Mickael turned his focus to recording a new album of sonatas for guitar, but is soon diverted from his purpose when studying António José’s great Sonata.

When investigating the composer’s life story, he comes across the tragic reality about the huge amount of composers who were fatal victims in war situations.

Thus is born LOST SOULS OF WAR, the turning point that marks the beginning of the devout mission to which the musician commits himself, to resurrect the music of all these composers with the collaboration of 93 international institutions, 32 guest musicians, symphonic orchestra and ancient music ensemble, and a documentary feature film that aims to share the stories of all these composers, along with the process of creating the project.

In 2020, he launched Ao Abrigo de um Poema, a collaborative project with Casa Fernando Pessoa (Portugal) and Museu Villa-Lobos (Brazil). This work features the poetry of Fernando Pessoa set to Villa-Lobos’ music, enhanced by original arrangements and videos that were generously shared with the institutions involved.

The project received significant attention, including coverage from RTP (Portuguese Radio and Television), which aired a dedicated report.

Through his innovative projects and passionate dedication to music, Mickael Viegas continues to inspire audiences and reshape the landscape of classical guitar.

- Mickael Viegas