The musician / the music teacher, Cristóvão Silva was born in Portimão. He studied Piano with the teachers Daniela Marinova and Cândida Matos; Counterpoint, Harmony and Coral Direction with Edgar Saramago; Orchestra Direction with the Conductor Roberto Pérez; Musical Training and History of Music with Helena Lamas Pimentel; He attended the courses “Internacionais Projazz/91”, in Costa do Estoril, under the guidance of Reggie Workman and Hal Galper. He also studied the V Course of Musical Improvement, in Vila do Conde, where he studied Composition and the History of Contemporary Music with Jorge Peixinho. He then attended the seminars of Emmanuel Nunes, Gilbert Amy, Robert Sherlaw-Johnson and Harrison Burtwistle. He completed his university degree of Composition through the “Escola Superior de Música de Lisboa” (The Music University of Lisbon) in 2001. His most distinguished teachers were the Professors José Carlos Buonacorso, Christopher Bochmann and António Pinho Vargas. In November of 2016 he concluded his university degree preparing him to become a musical teacher of the junior high level (“2º Ciclo”-5th and 6th grades). He also completed the course which prepared him for the teaching of Music – in the area of Composition. All these studies were successfully completed at the “Escola Superior de Música de Lisboa” (the Musical University of Lisbon). He obtained the highest grade possible to achieve which was the average of 20. He became the first student of composition of this institution to receive such a distinguished grade in this type of studies.
He conducted the Choir group called “Grupo Coral de Portimão” from 1991 until 1992. In 1996 he composed a musical piece for the play called “SI CONTRA FÁ”, under the guidance of the play writer José Wallenstein and this piece was heard in the famous theatre called “Teatro da Cornucópia” in Lisbon in July of that year. In 1998 he created the Course called “Curso de Análise e Técnicas de Composição” (Course of the Analysis and Techniques of Composition) in the Algarve. Between 1997 and 2001, he was the pianist of the Hotel Vila Vita Parc, in Armação de Pêra. He taught in several private and public schools and he taught every type of schooling level from Pre-school until the University Level. He fulfilled the function of Pedagogical Director in the Academy of Music of Lagos between 1997 and 1999. In this establishment, he was for many years, the coordinator of the subjects of Musical Training, Theory, Musical Analysis and Choir Group of the various Conservatories of Music that were associated. He also worked as the teacher coordinator of the subjects of the Analysis and Techniques of Composition and Musical Training in the Regional Conservatory of Music in the Algarve called “Maria Campina”. This Conservatory is in Faro and he fulfilled this function from 1999 until 2003. In the university year of 1999/2000 he taught in the” Universidade do Algarve” (the Algarve University) which is situated in Faro. In the university year of 2010/2011 he taught in the “Instituto Superior D. Afonso III” (Superior Institute of D. Afonso III) in Loulé. Since 2010 he is the teacher of professional Courses of Cord and Keyboard Instruments and he also teaches the course called “Ensino Integrado de Música” ( the Integrated Musical Course) in the school called “Escola Básica e Secundária da Bemposta”, in Portimão.
Not only has he fulfilled he function of a teacher, but he also continues to develop his work in the area of composition and he is actively involved in presenting to the public his work. He is the founder of and works with the groups “Trio Mediterrâneo” (Mediterranean Trio) and the “EuterpEnsemble”. His musical work consists of several musical pieces for solo instrument, Choir Groups, Symphonic Works and Musical Corals. From his most recent works, one that stands out is called “Imagens” (Images) and it is dedicated to the memory of the great Republican President, Manuel Teixeira Gomes. This piece was first played on January 20 of 2006 by the “Algarve Orchestra” (Orquestra do Algarve). Another musical piece called “Impressões” (impressions), was the only one that received the 1st International Prize of Composition of Póvoa de Varzim, in the category of Orchestra Music. This piece was first played on July 28 of 2006 by the Póvoa de Varzim Orchestra. In the beginning of 2007 he was invited by the “Orquestra do Algarve” (Algarve Orchestra) to be the local composer of this formation and that is why he received the request to compose the musical piece called “As Quatro Estações” (The Four Seasons). The piece called “Primavera” (Spring) was first played on January 10 of this year for the Portuguese Senate. The piece called “Verão” (Summer) was first played on March 23 in Tavira. The 3rd piece called “Outono” ( Autumn) was first played on May 25 in Lagos. And the piece called “Inverno” (Winter) was first played on July 7 in Portimão. We can still refer that in that same year the editor called ”Juventude Musical Portuguesa” (Portuguese Musical Youth) edited his book “Leituras e Ditados para Formação Musical (1º e 2º graus)” (Musical Readings and Dictations for Musical Training of the 1st and 2nd levels) . In 2008 he takes over the Artistic Direction of the International Competition for Young Composers in Portimão (Concurso Internacional para Jovens Compositores). In March of that year the group “o Ensemble Contemporaneus” presents for the first time their musical piece “Divagações” (Ramblings), in the Palace D. Manuel, in Évora. In the following May, they played their Concert of Accordion and Orchestra (Concerto para Acordeão e Orquestra), which was the first of this type in Portugal. It was first played with great success by the accordionist Gonçalo Pescada and by the Algarve Orchestra. In that same month the Algarve Orchestra played for the first time the musical piece called “Quadras” (Verses). It was dedicated to the memory of the famous poet António Aleixo who was from the Algarve. In December of 2009, and integrated in the Commemorations of the National date which commemorates the city of Portimão, the Algarve Orchestra first played with great success two more of his musical pieces called “Suite Algarvia” and “Pequeno Concerto para Piano e Orquestra”( a little concert for piano and orchestra). In October of 2016, two of the 24 children’s/ teenager’s songs won 2nd prize in the second Competition of Composition for children about Portuguese Poems, and that was held by the organization called APEM (Associação Portuguesa de Educação Musical, The Portuguese Musical Association).