BIOGRAPHY
Carlos Alberto Paixão Amarelinho, born in Serpa in 1977, began his musical journey at the age of 14 as a saxophonist at the Serpa Philharmonic Society Music School. He continued his studies at the Baixo Alentejo Regional Conservatory, graduating in saxophone in 2001 under the guidance of Professor José Brito. His dedication led him to further his education at the Lisbon Superior School of Music, where he obtained a degree in saxophone.
Amarelinho has broadened his musical expertise through numerous conducting courses and masterclasses with renowned figures such as Sir David Whitwell, António Saiote, José Brito, Alberto Roque, Jean Sébastien Bérreau, Francisco Navarro, Michael Dittrich, 1 José Massarão, Mário Santos, Henk Van Twillert, Stéphane Laporte, Jean Yves Fourmeau and Mario Marzi. His experience includes internships with the Templários National Wind Orchestra (1997-2001) and a conducting internship and competition in Budapest in 2007.
As a versatile musician, Amarelinho has excelled as a saxophonist, conductor, and composer. He was a founding member of the Lisbon Saxophone Quartet and the Alentejo Saxophone Quartet (Alen Sax), and the founder and conductor of the Alentejo Big Band (Big Alen Band). His compositions include works for the RTP Song Festival, and he regularly creates arrangements for various ensembles. Notably, he won first place in the 2008 INATEL composition competition.
Amarelinho's conducting experience spans across Portugal and internationally, including invitations to conduct the Covilhã Symphonic Band, the Baixo Alentejo Wind Orchestra and Joint Band, the Huelva Municipal Symphonic Band, the University of Murcia Orchestra, the Iberian Orchestra, the Templários National Wind Orchestra, and the Duna Symphony Orchestra of Budapest.
In addition to his performance career, Amarelinho is a dedicated educator. He has taught saxophone at the Linda-a-Velha School of Music and Dance, the Portimão Conservatory, the Lagos Academy of Music, and the Vila Real de Santo António Regional Conservatory. He currently teaches saxophone and orchestra at the Baixo Alentejo Regional Conservatory. He served as the conductor of the União Mourense Philharmonic Band for three years, and the Silves Philharmonic Society Band (2010-2015). He is currently the conductor of the Serpa Philharmonic Society Band (since February 2014) He also founded and conducts the South Symphonic Band (BSS).
Amarelinho holds a degree in Wind Orchestra Conducting from the Associated Board of the Royal Schools of Music and a Master's in Film Scoring from Berklee College of Music. He also completed a Master's in Composition at the University of Évora and a professionalization in saxophone and chamber music at the Lisbon Open University. In 2022, he joined the Dutch publishing house Molenaar as a composer, counting a numerous titles already published. in 2024 he works in partnership with the Symphonic Band of the Public Security Police (Banda Sinfónica de Polícia de Segurança Pública) for his first CD with original works.