FERNANDO CORREIA MARTINS

Born: November 23rd, 1936, Aveiro (Portugal)

Died: March 28th, 2009, Lisbon (Portugal)

Nationality: Portuguese

In due course, the short impression below will be replaced with a more extensive career overview

BIOGRAPHY

Originally a violinist whose professional career in music started in 1958, Fernando Domingos Marques Correia Martins became one of Portugal’s most prolific theatre composers from the early 1970s onwards, with over fifty revues and musicals to his credit. His operetta Invasão was staged at the Trindade Theatre. As a composer, arranger, and conductor, Correia Martins worked on many RTP television programmes, including the Sábado à noite show. He was the musical director of the RTP Orchestra from 1990 until it was disbanded in 1994. In the record studios, more than 500 records with his arrangements were recorded by artists such as Simone de Oliveira, Carlos do Carmo, Marina Mota, Nucha, Dora, and Deolinda Rodrígues. In 2008, Correia Martins again started writing music for theatrical performances. One day before he died, he received the Máscaras do Teatro Prize for lifetime achievement.

EUROVISION SONG CONTEST

Between 1975 and 1993, Fernando Correia Martins composed, arranged, and conducted many entries in the Portuguese Eurovision heats; in 1990, he was the musical director of the show. He was involved in two Portuguese entries in the international final: in 1979, he wrote the orchestration to ‘Sobe, sobe balão sobe’ (performed by Manuela Bravo), which was conducted by Thilo Krasmann. Twelve years later, in 1991, he conducted the orchestra in Rome for a world star-to-be, Dulce Pontes, who represented her country with ‘Lusitana paixão’.

EUROVISION INVOLVEMENT YEAR BY YEAR

1979 Jerusalem

Country – Portugal

Song title – "Sobe, sobe balão sobe"

Rendition – Manuela Bravo

Lyrics – Carlos Nóbrega e Sousa 

Composition – Carlos Nóbrega e Sousa

Studio arrangement – Fernando Correia Martins

Live orchestration – Fernando Correia Martins

Conductor – Thilo Krasmann

Score – 9th place (68 votes)

1991 Rome

Country – Portugal

Song title – “Lusitana Paixão”

Rendition – Dulce Pontes

Lyrics – Fred Micaelo / José 'Ze' da Ponte

Composition – José 'Ze' da Ponte / Jorge Quintela

Studio arrangement – Jorge Quintela

Live orchestration – Fernando Correia Martins

Conductor – Fernando Correia Martins

Score – 8th place (62 votes)