​

Rúben Monteiro is a multi-instrumentalist, producer and composer which places himself within an uncommonly wide range of musical genres. His current projects swing from progressive rock to Mediterranean music, including also in this sonic path medieval and modal music, as well as fusion. 

 

Since the beginning has he been connected to stringed instruments, having started his musical education at Luis António Maldonado Rodrigues School, in his hometown Torres Vedras, Portugal. He started off with piano lessons and afterwards completed the Music Conservatory’s Fifth Degree on classical guitar. Later licensed and post graduated in Medieval Archeology at the Lisbon’s Universidade Nova  he developed a special interest for the ancient cultures and music, specially from Medieval, Middle Eastern and Central Asian music.

 

In the last years he has been dedicated to Eastern and Western Modal Music study. To develop this knowledge he had study the eastern modal music with the Portuguese guitar master Gonçalo Pereira and with the Masters Efrén Lopez and Ross Daly, to going deep in eastern modal music particularly from Turkey. 

His passion and dedication to traditional instruments such as the Turkish Baglama, Arab Oud, Afghan Rubab and Hurdy Gurdy led him to contact and learn with many teachers such as the turkish baglama masters Sinan Ayyıldız (Turkey) and Erkan Çanakçı (Turkey), the hurdy gurdy master Johannes Geworkian Hellman (Sweden) and the afghan rubab master Efrén López (Spain).

 

Composer

Since 2003 he composed 18 works approaching different genres and musical styles special Progressive rock and metal, world and ethnic music, being him the producer, composer and working as sound engineer in most of the works.

Alluminia, Rainforest, Dorahoag, Dukha and Albaluna give name and support to Ruben’s compositions.

Afghan Rubab, Arab Oud, Saz Baglama, Hurdy-gurdy and the Electric Guitar are the instruments that are most presented in Ruben’s compositions.

 

Live & Touring

Remaining in permanent live and touring activity had traveled around the world performing solo concerts or in group band from many countries such as Spain, France, Germany, Italy, Poland, Estonia, Lithuania, UK, Turkey, Malaysia, India, China and Morocco in uncountable festivals and venues can be highlighted Festival MED (Portugal), World Music Festival (Malaysia), Cultural Center of Macao (Macao, China), Sufi Sutra Festival (India), Udaipur World Music Festival (India), Tal Guit’art Festival (Morroco), Montelago Celtic Festival (Italy), Pipes and Whistle Festival (Germany), Folk Herbst (Germany), Bova Club (Turkey), Ostrova Festival (Estonia), among others.

 

Collaborations

As a guest musician or in collaborations has worked with different bands and musicians from Portugal, such as Alma Menor, MU, Zeca Medeiros, Sons da Suévia, among other, and international, like Chris Woods (UK), Efrén López (Spain), Ostad Farzad Andalibi (Iran), Volkan Incüvez (Turkey), David Severac (France), Sadhu Das and Kangal Keep (India) and the International Orchestra of the Macau International Music Festival conducted by the Chinese Maestro Yan Huichang.

 

Producer & Session Musician

As a producer counts with many works in different genres, from traditional to modern music.

His main work goes from soundtracks for movies and animated films, radio jingles, and full album productions, recording, mix and mastering processes. Alluminia, Rainforest, Dorahoag, Dukha, Albaluna, Velha Gaiteira, Jimmy Joe Casper, Pedro Mendes are some of the examples.

 

During the last years, beside all the permanent work with Albaluna, Ruben has been working as session musician from his studio “West Wave Studio” for all over the World, collaborating with musicians from countries such U.S.A., all Europe, all Middle East, India, Pakistan, Russia, among many others.