Occupation: Academic
Age: 39
E-Mail address: P.Rebelo@qub.ac.uk
Place of Birth: Viseu, Portugal
Where you live: Co Down
First Job: Jazz pianist and teacher
What it taught me: When I started playing and teaching piano professionally at 16, I realised I was able to make important career decisions in order to pursue my passion for music. This early experience allowed me to distinguish between opportunities that could be relevant to my future and those that might be marginal. I understood that to develop a particular skill also meant to be able to share it with others
Family/Status: Partnership
Name of spouse and children:
Franziska Schroeder, Lukas and Max
Best advice anyone ever gave you:
My family’s work ethics and my parents’ openness and encouragement have been crucial to my career. I regularly recall my grandfather saying that if you insist on something that is important to you, you will succeed. Admittedly, this was meant as an ironic comment on the relationship between me as a young, at times stubborn child and my parents. In any case, I like to think that it translated into my being determinate about carrying things through. Later I realised that one must also be prepared to fail and learn from mistakes
Best advice you could give someone starting out: Don’t worry about a master plan. Concentrate on the world around you and the opportunities it presents. In a fast-paced world the most important quality is to be flexible and a good improvisor
Pedro is a composer/digital artist and performer working in electroacoustic music, improvisation, digital media and installation. In 2002 he was awarded a PhD by the University of Edinburgh where he conducted research in both music and architecture.
His music has been published, recorded and performed at a range of international festivals. His work as a pianist and improvisor has been released by Creative Source Recordings and he has collaborated with musicians Chris Brown, Mark Applebaum, Carlos Zingaro and Evan Parker. His writings reflect his approach to design and composition by articulating creative practice in a wider understanding of cultural theory.
Pedro has been Visiting Professor at Stanford University (2007) and was Music Chair for the 2008 International Computer Music Conference and for the 2009 Sound and Music Computing conference. He has held posts as Director of Education and Acting Head of School in the School of Music and Sonic Arts and is currently Director of Research at the Sonic Arts Research Centre at Queen’s University Belfast.