Loulé’s Young Accordion Stars Shine Bright on the International Stage
The Algarve has a rich musical heritage, and the recent achievements of our local accordionists prove that this cultural legacy is in their incredibly talented hands. Between 22 and 24 May, young accordion players from the Loulé municipality travelled to the prestigious 29th National Trophy and 10th International Accordion Contest Cidade de Alcobaça, returning home with a remarkable collection of national and international awards.
The competition, recognised as one of the most prestigious and technically demanding in the country, featured over a hundred participants, who were evaluated by an excellent international jury. Amidst this fierce competition, Loulé’s own Tiago Conceição truly stole the show. Despite still competing at the junior level, the extraordinary young musician not only won the Senior Varieté category but also earned the highest overall score of the contest, 24.63 out of 25 points. Adding to his accolades, Tiago also secured first-place prizes in the Free Solo Concert, Duo, and Trio categories.
Tiago’s phenomenal success was part of a broader wave of triumphs for the Associação de Acordeão Garvefole, a Loulé-based association that dominated several categories. Supported by the Loulé City Council, the institution celebrated multiple first-place finishes by brilliant young talents, including Miguel Coelho, Bruna Palma, Catarina Viegas, Carolina Palma, Carolina Veloso, Rodrigo Veloso, Rafaela Cabanita, and Tomás Coelho, as well as excellent performances from Francisca Marrachinho and Benjamim Viegas.
Other local educational institutions also proved the high calibre of arts training available in our community. Representing the Conservatório de Música de Loulé – Francisco Rosado, Maya Veit Souza won the Iniciado Convertor 1 category in both the national and international brackets, whilst Apolo Pereira took an impressive third place in the highly respected Vitorino Matono Award. Furthermore, the Centro de Artes Artistas Minerva celebrated an excellent performance by their student, Gustavo Martinho.
The Mayor of Loulé, Telmo Pinto, expressed his profound pride in the students, stating that these results “are a reflection of the commitment, passion, and dedication of the young musicians, their families, and the teachers”. He noted that their hard work elevates the culture and tradition of the accordion to world-class standards, fully justifying the municipality’s continuous investment in local associations and arts education.
Congratulations to all the young stars, their dedicated teachers—Nelson Conceição, Vítor Mira, and Jorge Alves—and all the families who support them. Alongside other brilliant performers from Olhão, Faro, and São Brás de Alportel, they have truly done the Algarve proud!
