José Luiz Barbosa, one of the most distinguished violinists of his generation, father of two great names in Portuguese music, violinist Vasco Barbosa and pianist Grazie Barbosa was born in Lisbon on May 23, 1887.
At the age of 4 years old, he began studying music with his father Lucius Luiz Barbosa, and from an early age revealed great talent for music, to the point that at 5 years was playing in the "cafés" of Lisbon.
Featuring few resources, he entered the National Conservatory at 7 years of age, with the help of the Countess of Edla, Elisa Hensler second wife of King Ferdinand II. It was however forced to drop out of school about a year later, returning them at around 17 years of age.
Then he studied with the violinists Julio Cardona and Alexandre de Bettencourt (father of composer Jorge Croner de Vasconcellos).
Brilliant in concert, Luiz Barbosa was part of the String Quartet of the National Radio, in which he played almost all the classic repertoire for this training and has also played in several orchestras under the direction of conductors such as David de Sousa, Vianna da Motta, Fernando Fao and Pedro de Freitas Branco.
With cellist Fernando Costa played in the first hearing in Portugal, the Brahms double concerto for violin and cello.
Luiz Barbosa was also a distinguished professor. Are among his disciples, names like César Lobo, Fausto Caldeira, Herberto de Aguiar and his own son Vasco Barbosa who gave the first lessons and with whom he played several times, including the Symphony Concertante by Mozart for violin, viola and orchestra (Luiz Barbosa viola).
Luiz Barbosa died in Lisbon on 3 October 1952.
António Ferreira
Lisbon, February 2008