Portuguese trombonist Gonçalo Nova, winner of the First Prize and Best Interpretation Prize at the 2023 Prague Spring International Music Competition, joined the Calgary Philharmonic Orchestra as Principal Trombone in the 2026/2027 season.
Born in Porto, in 2003, Gonçalo began studying the trombone at the age of six at the Conservatory of Music of Porto. Since then, his musical journey has taken him across Europe, the United States, and Asia, where he has performed as a soloist and orchestral musician with leading ensembles and worked alongside some of the world’s most distinguished trombonists and musicians.
Gonçalo Nova earned his bachelor’s degree from the Hochschule für Musik Freiburg in Germany, where he studied with Prof. Fabrice Millischer, graduating with the highest grade.
Currently, he is finishing the Master’s Degree Program at the Juilliard School, with Prof. Joseph Alessi.
He had the opportunity to work with leading ensembles such as the Stuttgart State Orchestra as 1st Trombone Solo during the 2022–2023 season and the Munich Philharmonic as guest 1st Trombone Solo. He was also invited to perform with the State Theater Orchestra Freiburg 1st Trombone Solo and as a guest artist with the Holst-Sinfonietta in Freiburg. He was a member of the EBE Trombone Ensemble - the ensemble of the trombone class at the Hochschule für Musik Freiburg, performing in Germany, Poland, and on a tour of Japan in January 2024. While studying at the Juilliard School, he had the opportunity to perform with Juilliard 415 Orchestra, performing at various venues across the U.S. and on a tour of Italy in May / June 2026. He also performed with the Extremadura Orchestra in Spain, as a regular guest - 2nd trombone, during the 2021–2023 seasons. In Portugal, he had the opportunity to work with the Portuguese Symphonic Band and the North Orchestra (Portugal). He was a member of the “Sociedade 1 de Agosto” Philharmonic Band in Coimbrões.
As a soloist and in competitions, he has had the privilege of performing with the Munich Chamber Orchestra (Germany), Vogtland Philharmonie Greiz / Reichenbachthe - Markneukirchen (Germany) Prague Philharmonic Orchestra (Czech Republic), Movida Brass Band (Czech Republic), the Gulbenkian Orchestra (Portugal), the Banatul Philharmonic Orchestra of Timișoara (Romenia), the Portuguese Symphonic Band, and the North Orchestra (Portugal).
Since 2013 he has participated and been awarded in several other competitions such as, the 1st Prize in the trombone category and European Union of Music Competitions for Youth Prize of the “Prémio Jovens Músicos” 2023 – Portuguese Radio Television - Antena 2, 3rd Prize in the “International Music Competition Markneukirchen” 2024, 1st Prize in the International Trombone Association “Lewis Van Haney Philharmonic Prize” Competition 2026 Riga – Latvia, 1st Prize in the “New Talent AGEAS / Casa da Música – Portugal 2025”,German, 1st Prize in the International Trombone Association “Gilberto Gagliardi” Competition 2022, Arkansas –USA, 1st Prize in the “Youth Competition of all Official Portuguese Conservatoires” 2021 (all instruments); 1st Prize in the International Music Competition “Les Musicales du Center - Grands Artistes" (all instruments) 2019, France.
He worked with several great musicians such as Joseph Alessi, Christopher Houlding, Ben van DijK, Filipe Alves, Timothy Higgins, Martin Schippers, Megumi Kanda, Hillary Simms, Colin Williams, Jeremy Wilson, Peter Stainer, Enzo Turriziani, Lars Karlin, João Martinho, Jean-Philippe Navrez, Hakan Bjorkman and Csaba Wagner.
He was awarded Merit Scholarships from the Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation – Portugal and Helene Rosenberg Foundation from the Hochschule für Musik Freiburg.
Gonçalo Nova is a proud recipient of a Kovner Fellowship at the Juilliard School.