Gonçalo Cruz

Introduction

Gonçalo Cruz
is a Musician, Researcher & Maker of Bagpipes & Woodwinds.
He holds a Bachelor’s and Master’s degree in Architecture and is currently a Doctor of Music candidate at the Sibelius Academy – “Forgotten Bagpipes – The redesign of the Säkkipilli in Finland”.

His research interests are in the disciplines of Music, Ethnomusicology, Organology, as well as Art & Design, History & Archaeology, with a special interest in the subjects of Instrument building, Tuning, and Temperament.

Since 1999, Gonçalo has been involved in the revival process of local Gaita bagpipes in Portugal, by researching, playing, teaching, and building bagpipes as well as maintaining a professional bagpipe-making workshop that he has now moved to Helsinki.

As an artist, Gonçalo has worked as a music composer and guest musician on live and recorded performances, interpreting an array of European bagpipes, recorders and whistles. Although his musical instruments ground him in the folk music universe, his original compositions are meant as storytelling, always evocative of images, clearly influenced by cinema soundtracks. Gonçalo is keen on developing the concept of “Music as Design”.

Self-taught Piper (1997) | Tutor of Bagpipes and whistles (2007) | Maker of Bagpipes (2010) | Book author, music composer, and guest musician on several live performances and recorded albums | Researcher of European Bagpipes (since 1999)

Teaching

>Educator

GaitaMaker®, pipe school (2010-15)
Gaiteiros PortoCéltico – Gaita bagpipe band – conductor (2009)
Workshop Lindenfels – Germany (2008)
PortoCéltico® pipe school (2001-08)

>Speaker

“Forgotten Bagpipes” – SibA Researcher Days – Finland (2020) “World music & education” – Budapest Ritmo – Hungria (2017) “Architecture vs Music” – Azores Fringe – Ilha do Pico (2017) “Music as a Language” – WOMEX – Spain (2016)

“The Portuguese Bagpipes” – Galician pipers Association – Spain (2014)
“CAD Sketchup & Design process” – ESSR Soares dos Reis, Porto (2013)
“Gaitas are not big bad bugs” – tour over public schools – North Portugal (2010-15)

Artistic activities

>Recorded Albums

ORIGEM “As Voltas do Bira”
Açor Ed. 2014 (guest musician, Gaita and whistles)
ARREFOLE “Veículo Climatizado”
Açor Ed. 2006 (composer, Gaita, Whistles, Baroque flute)

>Composer (original themes)

VALSA DOS MAUS HÁBITOS
G.Cruz – Indie (on-going studio recording 2021)
ASPERGICS
G.Cruz – Indie (on-going studio recording 2021)
GUTLICS
G.Cruz Açor Ed. 2006
METRO_NOMO
G.Cruz, N.Flores, D. Pereira – Açor Ed. 2006
VOO DO ARADO
G.Cruz Açor Ed. 2006
WEEKEEND
G.Cruz, N.Flores – Açor Ed. 2006

>Events & Festivals (solo performer)

Mountain Concerts – Montanha Festival – Azores Pico Island (2018)
Flute & Bagpipes Didatic concert – Azores Fringe – Azores Pico Island (2017)
Gilles Mathieu’s Irish Mass – CICBAS Oporto Christmas concert – Portugal (2014)
InterCeltic Folkfestival Hofheim Germany (2007)
Lissberg Bagpipe and Hurdy-Gurdy Germany (2003)

Research and publications

>CURRENT
“Forgotten Bagpipes – The redesign of the Säkkipilli in Finland”,
Doctor of Music, Viva Voce, SibA ongoing

>PREVIOUS
“Brief overview of the rebirth and evolution of Gaita makers in Portugal”
Paper for the Centre for studies of Sociology and Musical Aesthetics (2018)

“Architecture, Design process and Energy Efficiency”,
Master Thesis Viva Voce, ULP , Porto Portugal 2010

Expertise

• instrument making
• Design
• folk music
• Bagpipes
• Iberian Folk
• Design Process
• Project and Design Thinking
• visual arts
• Architecture
• Iconography and Music Archaeology
• Music as design