IGOR C SILVA

ComposerNominated by Kölner Philharmonie Season 2024-2026

Photo © Raluca Baicu

 

Born in Porto and currently living in Amsterdam, Igor C Silva is a composer devoted to electronics and new media music, creating projects where performers, computers and many noisy and psychedelic things happen on stage, creating a multi-sensorial experience. Silva works regularly with ensembles, performers and orchestras, receiving several commissions from ensembles and festivals, and publishing recordings of his music.
Igor C Silva also collaborates regularly with soloists, ensembles and jazz groups, devoting part of his musical and composing activity to improvisation and interactive performances with electronics and multimedia tools.

 

Igor was the Resident Young Composer at Casa da Música in 2012. He was also the Composer in Residence at Miso Music Studios in 2015 and in the 2018/19 he was the resident composer of Drumming GP.

 

Igor C Silva is a co founder of Trash Panda Collective. On upcoming projects stands out the premiere of a new Multimedia Opera (Netherlands, 2021) written for Stephanie Pan and Ensemble Klang, with text by Aaron Landsman, a premiere of a new piece for ensemble and electronics, written for Trash Panda Collective, and many other concerts and premieres in Netherlands, Belgium, Spain, USA, Portugal, Germany, Luxembourg, France, Japan, UK, Finland, Argentina, etc..

 

Igor C Silva graduated in composition at Escola Superior de Música, Artes e Espetáculo (ESMAE) in 2011, and finished a Master degree in Composition and Music Theory in 2013. He also attended seminars with Magnus Lindberg, Jonathan Harvey, Pauline Oliveros, Kaija Saariaho, Wolfgang Mitterer, Betty Olivero, Marko Ciciliani, Pascal Dusapin, Bruce Pennycook and others.

 

In 2017 Silva finished a Master Degree in live-electronics at Conservatorium van Amsterdam.
Igor C Silva is currently a PhD candidate at VUB (Brussels) and Koninklijk Conservatorium Brussel, where he also teaches at the Live Electronics Course.

 

PRIZES

Distinction at 65th International Rostrum of Composers, with “Plastic Air”, for flexible duo, electronics and video / lighting, in Hungary (2018);

1st Prize winner of the Areon Flutes Commissioning Prize 2018 (USA);

1st Prize winner of the 1st International Electroacustic and Intermedial Composition Competition "eviMus" with "Numb" for baritone saxophone and electronics, in Germany (2017);

Winner of the Residency Prix CIME 2017, in Russia (2017);
Finalist of the Switch~Ensemble Commissioning Prize in New York (2017);

Runner-up in OSSIA's 2015-16 International Composition Prize in New York (2016);

1st Prize winner of the "II Concurso Internacional de Composição / Jorge Peixinho with "Blood Ink" for small ensemble and electronics (2015);

Distinction at 62nd International Rostrum of Composers, with "You Should Be Blind to Watch TV", in Estonia (2015);

1st Prize winner of the “5th International Composition Competition of Póvoa de Varzim” with “FlipBook”, for quintet and electronics (2010);

1st Prize winner of the “2nd Composition Competition of Casa da Música/ESMAE”, with “Terminus” for viola, live-electronics and lighting (Porto, 2009);

 

SELECTIONS:

Selected for ICMC in Daegu with "Smart-alienation" (2018);
Selected for ICMC in Ultrecht with "zap_ping_" (2016);
Selected for World Music Days 2016 in South Corea with "Frames #87" (2016);
Selected for workshop with Gulbenkian Orchestra, Barbara Hannigan and Maguns Lindberg (2014);
Selected by MISO MUSIC to integrate the official application for ISCM World New Music Days 2012, Belgium, with “FlipBook (2011);
Selected for the “1st International Forum of Young Composers” by Sond’ar-te Electric Ensemble (2011);
Selected for the international project SACS (2010);
Selected for UT-Portugal concert Project with “Chouette!”, for flute, cello and piano- USA (2009);

“A Colecção”, short animation movie with music by Igor C Silva was awarded at “Animatu” – Festival Internacional de Animação Digital (2008);

 

RESIDENCES:

Composer in Residence at Drumming GP (2018/19); Residence at MISO MUISIC Studios (2015);
Young Composer in Residence at Casa da Música (2012);

Concerts Concerts Concerts Concerts Concerts
  • 21.09.2025
    Kölner Philharmonie
    Solisten N.N., Duisburger Philharmoniker
  • 26.09.2025
    Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation Lisbon
    Orquestra Gulbenkian
  • 17.10.2025
    Müpa Budapest
    Hungarian National Symphony Orchestra
  • 15.11.2025
    Casa da Música Porto
    Orquestra Sinfónica do Porto Casa da Música
  • 28+29.11.2025
    L'Auditori Barcelona
    OBC - Barcelona Symphony Orchestra
  • 14.03.2026
    NOSPR Katowice
    Polish National Radio Symphony Orchestra