Bernardo Matias was born in 1996 in the city of Caldas da Rainha.
He graduated from the Alcobaça Music Academy and Escola Secundária Dona Inês de Castro under the guidance of Prof. Doutor Mário Marques and graduated in Saxofone, under the guidance of Prof. Doutor Mário Marques (main instrument) and Prof. Doutor José Massarrão (Chamber Music) high-skilled. At present, he is finishing his Masters in Music Education at the University of Évora, under the guidance of Prof. Doutor Mário Marques.
He attended as an interpreter some workshops and saxophone courses with teachers: António Felipe Belijar (Spain), Tomás Jerez Munera (Spain), Mário Marques, José Massarrão, José Lopes, Nuno Mendes, Flávio Lopes, Bruno Homem and Pedro Carvalho.
He worked with several National and International conductors of classical training to mention in particular: Rui Carreira, Samuel Pascoal, Adelino Mota, Élio Murcho, Hugo Assunção, Nuno Feist, Luís Clemente, Élio Leal, Kodo Yamagishi (Japan), Jonathan Graf (Switzerland) and Mikyan Irtumov (Russia). Of jazzística formation, Claus Nymark (Denmark) and Luís Sousa.
Collaborates with the following composers, in order to create new repertoire for saxophone and new versions for it: Antero Ávila, Afonso Teles, Cristopher Bochmann, Francisco Chaves, Sérgio Azevedo, Jorge Salgueiro, Daniel Bernardes, Carlos Almeida, Pedro Francisco, Nuno Roque, Daniel Schvetz and Gonçalo Lourenço.
He regularly performs solo and has played with, the Saxophone Orchestra of the Alcobaça Music Academy, in 2014, under the direction of Nuno Mendes, with the Alcobaça Symphony Band in 2017, under the direction of Rui Carreira, with the Wind Orchestra of the University of Évora in 2017 and 2018, under the direction of Hugo Assunção and Yan Mikirtumov and with the Saxophone Orchestra XXL in 2018, under the direction of João Pedro Silva.
Collaborates with the following composers, in order to create new repertoire for saxophone and new versions for it: Antero Ávila, Afonso Teles, Cristopher Bochmann, Francisco Chaves, Sérgio Azevedo, Jorge Salgueiro, Daniel Bernardes, Carlos Almeida, Pedro Francisco, Nuno Roque, Daniel Schvetz and Gonçalo Lourenço.
In 2019, together with pianist João Lucena e Vale, he released his first discographic work "Perspetivas", which includes original works dedicated by Portuguese composers for solo saxophone/saxophone and piano, and was broadcast live on "Jazz a 2" of Antena 2, directed by João Moreira Santos, in the program "Inter Ilhas" of Antena 1 Azores, directed by Sidónio Bettencourt and SIC Notícias, in the program of Nuno Rogeiro.
Bernardo Matias is sponsored by YAMAHA.
Participated in Saxophone Contests and got some awards and mentions highlighting:
Soil:
. 2° Prize in the II Contest "Small Great Talents - Alcobaça, 2013";
. 1° Award in the III Contest "Small Big Talents - Alcobaça, 2014";
. 3° Award at the III National Clarinet and Saxophone Competition "Sons of Cabral -
Belmonte, 2015";
. Honorable Mention in the IV National Clarinet and Saxophone Competition "Sons of Cabral
- Belmonte, 2016.
Music of Chamber:
. 1st Prize in the II Contest "Small Great Talents - Alcobaça, 2013", with the
"Ad Libitum" saxophone quartet;
. 3rd Prize in the III "National Competition of Chamber Music of Vila Verde", Vila
Verde, 2017, with the duet of saxophones " Daber Duo".