Ruben Monteiro

Ruben Monteiro is a producer, multi-instrumentalist and composer with an unusual breadth of musical genres. His projects range from Mediterranean music to progressive rock, from Atlantic to Eastern traditions, through fusion, electronic and even the most extreme modern and contemporary sounds. His work generally focuses on the constant dialogue between influences from different cultures and musical traditions and modern music. Over a career spanning more than two decades, marked by the release of 25 albums and one book, he has devoted himself to learning different musical languages and the intensive study of the guitar (classical, fretless and microtonal), the Turkish Saz Bağlama, the Arabic Oud, the Hurdy Gurdy, the Afghan Rubab, the Cretan Laouto, the Mandolin, the Viola Braguesa, the Portuguese Guitar, the Drums, the Piano and singing. Over the years, he has collaborated and performed with countless artists, bands and orchestras, including Alma Menor, MU, Zeca Medeiros, Sons da Suévia, the Torres Vedras Volunteer Fire Brigade Band, Mar & Ilha, Mauro Ramos, the Thíria project, The Batelleurs, among others in Portugal, and internationally with Chris Woods (UK), Efrén López (Spain), Ostad Farzad Andalibi (Iran), Volkan Incüvez (Turkey), David Severac (France), Sadhu Das and Kangal Keep (India), Belle Morte (Poland), the International Orchestra of Macau conducted by Chinese Maestro Yan Huichang, the ‘One World One Family’ Symphony Orchestra from India, the ‘What is not ours to carry’ project by Allison Clark in Ireland, the Italian Orchestra ‘Montelago 2023’, among others. In addition to his work as a musician and composer, he is also involved in music production, having produced most of his own work, as well as productions by national artists such as Mar & Ilha (Azores), Ricardo Gordo, Jaya Girão, Magmell, Jimmy Joe, Pedro Mendes, Ó Diácho, Modo Vilão, Rising Vultures, Albaluna, Moon Rover, Dracarin, the soundtrack for Carlos Fraga's documentary ‘Ser Cigano’ (Being Gypsy), among others. On the international scene, he has produced and continues to produce works for practically the whole world, including the United States, India, Turkey, all of Europe, Brazil, China and Japan in his daily work, where the albums by Maryam Smith (USA/India) and Vitor Maciel (Brazil) stand out, as well as his participation in the albums by Belle Morte (Poland) and Jerry Tambora Garcia (USA), to name but a few. Throughout his career, he has been recognised for his projects and those he has been involved in, such as the 2022 Gold Award presented by New York Festivals TV and Film Awards for the music video he participated in, ‘A Musical Toast’, by CGTN (China). Also noteworthy is his participation in the ‘Cloud Orchestra’ with an Hurdy Gurdy workshop for the whole world through the National and Traditional Orchestra of China.

In 2025, he participated in the world's longest World Music festival, breaking two Guinness records in India at the World Cultural Festival ‘One World One Family’ organised by the Sathya Sai Grama institution in celebration of the centenary of Bhagawan Sri Sathya Sai Baba. He was also part of the orchestra with the largest number of nationalities involved.