Francisca Portugal, a sought-after Portuguese violinist, is renowned for her multifaceted expertise in both chamber and orchestral music. She graduated from the Conservatorium van Amsterdam, where she earned her Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees under the guidance of Liviu Prunaru, previous concertmaster of the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra.
Currently a member of the Residentie Orkest (The Hague) as 1st violin, Francisca has also performed with the Nederlands Philharmonisch Orkest, Rotterdam Philharmonisch Orkest, Concertgebouw Chamber Orchestra, Portuguese Chamber Orchestra, Orquestra XXI, and Ensemble MPMP, among others.
A laureate of several national and international violin competitions, Francisca has appeared as a soloist and has been invited on important radio broadcasts in Antena 2, NPO Klassiek, among others.
In recent years, Francisca has combined her extensive performing experience with a deep passion for teaching. She has been invited to give masterclasses at Minho University and regularly serves as an orchestral coach in the Netherlands. As a private teacher, she has developed her own creative violin methods for beginners, known for their engaging approach and the rapid progress of her students.
Know my story...
1998-2006
I was born in 1998 in the seaside village of Paço de Arcos (Lisbon). As a child, I was always singing and, noticing my enthusiasm, my parents enrolled me in a local music school when I was six.
For the first time, I heard a performance of Prokofiev’s Peter and the Wolf and I fell in love with the violin. I joined the Suzuki group “Os Pequenos Violinos da Metropolitana”, touring Portugal for two years under the guidance of Rosa Sá and Inês Saraiva before moving to the north of the country in 2006 to continue my musical studies.
2006-2016
In the years that followed, I made the life-changing decision to pursue a career as a professional musician. In 2010 I earned a place at the Escola Profissional de Música do Vale do Ave (Artave) under the guidance of teacher Nuno Meira, with whom I studied for 6 years. During this time, I was recognized in several national and international violin competitions, which gave me incredible opportunities in Portugal and abroad.
2016-2023
In the final year of my studies at Artave, I stumbled upon a beautiful recording of R. Wagner’s Albumblatt, performed by Liviu Prunaru. To my surprise, I discovered that he would be giving a masterclass in Lisbon that same year, and I decided to apply. During the masterclass, I knew I had to study with him! The following summer, I auditioned at the Conservatorium van Amsterdam, where I was accepted into Liviu Prunaru’s class in 2016 and went on to complete both my Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees under his guidance.
2023-Today
Right after completing my Master’s studies, I auditioned for a position in the Residentie Orkest in The Hague and where I was selected to my current position as a first violin. Currently, I perform in concerts and take part in a variety of chamber music projects. Alongside my orchestral work, I am an active violin teacher, sharing my experience as a guest at masterclasses, coaching orchestras, and teaching private students.
In 2025, I launched my YouTube channel, particularly aimed at self-taught violinists.