Conservatório de Música da Covilhã^PT

The Orfeão da Covilhã, a non-profit public utility organisation founded on 16 November 1926, is the body behind the Conservatório de Música da Covilhã (Covilhã Regional Conservatory of Music).

On 21 November 1961, the Conservatório de Música da Covilhã was founded, with an initial intake of 86 students. Its first Head of Studies was Professor Vírgilio Pereira, who at the time served as artistic director of the Orfeão da Covilhã.

During the Conservatório’s early stages, the involvement of Mr Manuel Campos Costa and Mrs Maria Vitória Cordeiro Pires, amongst others, was significant.

The commitment of the Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation was also decisive in securing official authorisation for the Conservatório’s operation from the Ministry of National Education on 16 June 1971.

By October 1974, in addition to music teaching, a ballet class and a pre-school class were already in operation, and a first-year class was opened at the start of the academic year.

In 1986, the Conservatório de Música da Covilhã opened a branch in the city of Guarda, which eventually led to the creation of the S. José da Guarda Music Conservatory.

In 1992, in partnership with Covilhã Municipal Council, it established EPABI – the Beira Interior Professional School of Arts.

Since its inception, the Conservatory has organised countless activities, making a significant contribution to the educational and cultural provision of the city of Covilhã, whose quality of teaching and performances.