The conductor José Luís Borges Coelho has died at the age of 85.
Born in Murça, Vila Real, in 1940, Borges Coelho was prominent in music, academia, and politics, earning recognition as a “man of April”.
A known anti-fascist and member of the communist party, he was elected by the CDU to municipal assemblies in his birthplace and in Porto.
The Portuguese Communist Party expressed “deep sorrow for the passing of José Luís Borges Coelho, an irreplaceable figure in the culture of the region and the country” in a statement sent to newsrooms.
“In his party, academic, or civic life, José Luís Borges Coelho always stood out for his human dimension, civic engagement, party militancy, and immense generosity that inspired everyone around him”, the statement continued. “With a profound sense of social justice, he was a craftsman of April, tirelessly fighting for these values until the end of his life.”
Who was conductor Borges Coelho?
The conductor graduated in History from the University of Porto’s Faculty of Arts and completed the Advanced Singing Course at the Porto Music Conservatory.
As an educator, he distinguished himself as president of the Calouste Gulbenkian Music Conservatory in Braga, and held leadership roles at the Directive Council of Liceu Alexandre Herculano (Porto), the Music Academy of Viana do Castelo, and the Artistic Higher Education Cooperative Árvore (Porto). He also presided over the Scientific Council of ESMAE — Higher School of Music and Performing Arts of Porto.
[This article is being updated]
