Always fascinated by singer-instrumentalists from Antiquity to modern times, Ricardo Leitão Pedro is one of the few performers today to revive the early practice of cantor al liuto, accompanying himself on different plucked string instruments [medieval-renaissance lute, theorbo, baroque guitar].

Born in Porto in 1990, he first picked up the lute at eighteen-years old inspired by a concert of Hespérion XXI and encouraged by his classical guitar teacher Pedro Fesch.

A year later he’s accepted for a bachelor degree in early music at ESMAE [Porto], during which he was granted an Erasmus scholarship to study with lutenist Eugène Ferré during his last year of teaching at the Conservatoire National Supérieur de Musique et Danse de Lyon.

With concerts given in Switzerland, France, Portugal and Italy, he’s regularly invited to perform with different ensembles [Troxalida, La Boz Galana, Cappela Sanctae Crucis] and a member of I Discordanti [EEEmerging ensemble 2016; concerts in Switzerland, Italy and France] and Concerto di Margherita [EEEmerging ensemble 2017, singer-instrumentalists; tour in Italy, concerts in Switzerland] His lute duo with Guilherme Barroso was awarded 2nd prize [1st non-attributed] at the JIMA competition [Portugal] for chamber music.

Along the years, Ricardo has also had the opportunity to learn from singers such as Gerd Türk, Ulrich Messthaler and Kathleen Dineen and lutenists Paul O’Dette, Eduardo Egüez, Hopkinson Smith and Rolf Lislevand.

He’s currently based in Basel, where he pursues a master degree at the renowned Schola Cantorum Basiliensis in medieval and renaissance singing with Dominique Vellard and lute with Crawford Young, with a special focus on historical improvisation techniques.

www.ricardoleitaopedro.com