João Rival
Harpsichord
- Started in
- 2017
- Musician type
- Harpsichord
- Host institution
- Leiden University
- Nationality
- Brazil

João received his Bachelor’s Degree in harpsichord from the State University of Rio de Janeiro (Brazil) where he studied with Marcelo Fagerlande. João has had the chance to extend his knowledge with notorious harpsichordists such as Elisabeth Joyé, Olivier Baumont, Nicolau de Figueiredo, Patrick Ayrton and Jaques Ogg. He was awarded lessons with Huguete Dreyfus during the Académie Musicale deVillecroze (France), 2006. In September of 2008 he was admitted as a student of Jacques Ogg at the Royal Conservatory in The Hague (The Netherlands), receiving his Bachelor degree in 2012 and Master degree in 2014, narrowing down his studies in French harpsichord transcriptions from orchestral works of Marais and Rameau. In 2010 he attended L’académie Baroque Européene d’Ambronay as a continuo player for an adaptation of Rameau’s opera Les Indes Galantes under the leading of Hervé Niquet. In May 2014, João had the great opportunity to work for Rameau’s Les Indes Galantes in a co-production of The Royal Conservatory and the orchestra of the 18th century under the leading of Frans Bruggen. Also in the same year, he created the ensemble Le concert d’Apollon, specialized in French orchestral baroque music. João Rival is currently doing his PhD at the Orpheus Instituut Gent via Leiden University under the coaching of Jed Wentz and Graham Sadler.
Related
Project
The Analytical-Reconstructive Process of the Reduced Orchestral Works in France from the Post-Lully Generation (1687-1744)
This research project is mainly focused on how to reconstruct the middle parts (videlicet haute-contres, tailles and quintes) from French orchestral pieces, which survived only in their reduced forms (featuring primarely dessus and continuo), according to historical examples. By analyzing orchestral excerpts which were edited or copied in both forms, a five voice reconstruction of these diminished works will be produced. Furthermore, there shall be an accompanying report on how those parts were added in the common practice at the time and its relation with current instrumentation (since the aforementioned instruments are not redily available today). In order to fully realize this, it is important to examine these filledout works in a 21st century performance setting. The period to be explored is the one after J.B. Lully’s death until the death of A. Campra, emcompassing the so-called post Lully generation, specifically from 1687 untill 1744.
Related events
May 22-23, 2019
Music, Humans, and Machines
Orpheus Doctoral Conference 2019
This conference explores musician’s long relationship with their instruments and instrumentalities, questioning issues of autonomy and agency in the apparent dichotomy between tools and musical expression. From the mechane of Greek theatres from which gods were suspended, to Mozart’s description of the Stein fortepiano’s knee-lever as “Die Maschine”, to the epoch-defining technologies of recording, sound synthesis, and algorithmic composition of more recent times, performers and composers have relied on mechanical means to create magic in their art.