Hugo Queirós was born in Viana do Castelo – Portugal, where he started playing the clarinet at the age of 10. From a young age, Hugo showed a curiosity and interest in different music styles, which steered him to, apart from his classical studies, play with wind bands, folk groups and take part in occasional local jam sessions. At the age of 17, driven by a certain foolishness, Hugo acquired a beautiful bass clarinet, which later would be the key to his musical development. After his initial studies with Mario Bezerra, Hugo attended Escola Superior de Música e Artes do Espetáculo – Porto, where he obtained his bachelor and master degrees in clarinet under the guidance of Nuno Pinto.
In 2015, Hugo completed the Specialized Master in Bass Clarinet at Hochschule der Künste Bern with honors under the guidance of Ernesto Molinari. During his studies in Bern (2012/15), he was a recipient of the Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation grant and awarded the Eduard Tschumi Music Prize in 2015.
With two master degrees but somehow looking for further experience, Hugo was accepted at the International Ensemble Modern Academy in Frankfurt (2015/16), where he expanded his knowledge and found a fascination for chamber and ensemble playing, working closely with the members of Ensemble Modern with whom he would later regularly play as a guest musician (2016/2023).Hugo has kept an intense freelancer activity, combining solo recitals with guest appearances with formations such has Klangforum Wien, Ensemble Modern, Mahler Chamber Orchestra, Collegium Novum Zürich, Lucerne Festival Contemporary Orchestra, Ensemble Resonanz, Orquestra Gulbenkian, performing in the most distinguished concert halls such as Carnegie Hall, Berliner Philharmonie, Philharmonie de Paris, Sala São Paulo, Wigmore Hall, Royal Festival Hall, Concertgebouw, Elbphilharmonie, and Wiener Konzerthaus. He has worked with eminent composers and conductors, such as Sir Simon Rattle, Sir George Benjamin, Pierre Boulez, Helmut Lachenmann, Brian Ferneyhough, Tristan Murail, Georges Aperghis, Enno Poppe, Heinz Holliger, and Peter Eötvös.
Hugo is a D’Addario Woodwinds artist. In his spare time, Hugo likes to drive motorized vehicles, take photos, create trifling videos as well as read internet articles and reviews about products he can’t afford.
Hugo Queirós joined Klangforum Wien in January 2024.