Born in 1936, Luís Pereira Leal began his musical life in Lisbon’s National Music Conservatoire, where he studied composition and musicology.
Although graduated in History and Philosophy, he soon turned his attention toward composition and musicological research, and published several studies on early Renaissance and Baroque Portuguese composers.
In 1978 Luís Pereira Leal became Head of the Music Department of the CALOUSTE GULBENKIAN FOUNDATION, and since then has made positive efforts to support young artists who are starting promising careers, as well as to promote contemporary music. He held this position until 2010 when he became advisor to the Board of Trustees of the same institution.
He is Artistic Director of the Sintra International Music Festival. He is also founder and Artistic Director of Madeira and Algarve International Music Festivals, as well as the the Óbidos Early Music Festival.
Luis Pereira Leal is currently the Artistic Advisor of several international organizations.
He is frequently invited to take part as jury member in many international music competitions, such as the Viena (Belvedere), Toulouse, Rio de Janeiro, Pretoria and Paris Singing Competitions, and the Mozarteum (Salzburg), Palm Beach, Canada and the Vianna da Motta Piano Competitions, as well as Cadaquès and Besançon conductors’ competitions
He has been granted several awards both in Portugal and abroad, such as the Ordre d’ Officier des Arts et des Lettres of France.