An interview with Maria João Pires: "I'm no longer a pianist."

Maria João Pires received the prestigious Helena Vaz da Silva European Prize this Saturday (1 November 2025) at the Gulbenkian Foundation in Lisbon. The jury described her as an “extraordinary interpreter,” a “visionary educator,” a “cultural thinker,” and a “silent revolutionary in the field of world heritage.”

Do you see yourself in these attributes ?

It’s a huge compliment, but I see myself mainly in action. I belong to the group of people who need to be active in bringing about positive change—in the way we work to serve the community, help people face major crises, and help children learn. For me, that is essential. I don’t know how to live without feeling a part of that group that has a role to play. I’m not calling it a mission, because I don’t feel prepared to be a missionary, but I do feel aligned with people who influence how children and new generations think, feel, and understand what the world is—and what it could become if it evolved more harmoniously.

In what sense ?

In the sense of being more balanced, less competitive, more empathetic, more willing to help each other, more willing to create a better world. These are words that many people have already said, but they resonate deeply with me. That’s why I am honored to receive this European award. I belong to Europe with all my heart—not to its commercial or profit-driven side, but to a Europe with meaning, with education, capability, and awareness, especially ecological and human. Today we live in a society focused almost exclusively on the material side, and when human values are abandoned, we forget them. We become something less than human, and that is frightening.

At this moment of expanding technology and artificial intelligence, we are all discovering something new—so we must preserve these values more than ever. I never had the spirit of a touring concert pianist, someone with successes, a large audience, and constant travel.

That was also a characteristic of Helena Vaz da Silva. She made things happen.

Absolutely. I include myself, with all respect and humility, because she was a woman I admired greatly. I didn’t know her well, but I knew her. She was one of the first women to have a truly influential societal impact. In her time, she had a strong voice. Today, the dangers we face did not exist then. We live in an era full of garbage—literal and metaphorical.

And what are those dangers ?

We forget consciousness—awareness of the planet, of ecology, of preserving our home. We live in an age of waste, of things we would never accept if we were fully conscious.

You enjoy being in contact with nature. To what extent is it vital for you, both as a person and as an artist ?

I’m not sure what I am, but I know that contact with nature is essential for me. It reminds me of the value of what we have been given, and how terrible it is to lose it. Human beings believe they can create everything, but there is a part of creation that is not given to us. I have pushed my body beyond its limits, and that has taught me a lot.

Being a pianist is often compared to being a high-level athlete. What was your daily practice routine like ?

I’m no longer a pianist. I was a pianist for many years, and identified as one for many years—for reasons of belonging. I wanted to feel included and accepted. That may have been good, but I never had the spirit of a pianist, of a musician who gives concerts, has success, large audiences, and travels constantly. I never fully embraced that life.

But you did all of that.

I did, and I acknowledge it. But I never committed to it 100%. I always longed for something different: a deeper development of consciousness, spirituality, understanding—my relationship to others. That is very important to me, as is my mission on Earth, in this life.

It feels important to tell the truth: in many ways I identify with my colleagues and respect them deeply, but a part of me never identified with them. I never fully embraced the spotlight, the stage, the lights—while also craving discretion. It’s contradictory.

Yes, it is contradictory.

It is, but I tried to transform it into dialogue—an encounter, a form of sharing. If someone is alone on stage playing, transmitting an art form, they can still feel included in the group that is listening. Everything that comes from the voice, every vibration, affects the body.

Music is often described as a path to beauty, awareness, or spirituality. Is it such a vehicle for you ?

Any art can be. But music reaches the body very quickly. Vibration is important; it’s like the human voice. When the body vibrates, connections happen. Without vibration, we can’t communicate. Intellectual communication can be rich, but it lacks that vibration.

So who is Maria João Pires today ?

I am a seeker. I have always been a seeker. Now I have the time to reflect, to find new ways to connect with people and with what truly matters in life.

You’ve mentioned suffering from the times we live in—the extremism, the fear of others. Does this time make you suffer ?

It makes me suffer a lot. I feel it especially through my family—my grandchildren. It confuses me to see children accepting competition as normal, when competition is ultimately war. The weapons differ, but the result is always the death of something. This obsession with winning is frightening.

People who are aware of this have to fight it with the weapon of awareness. Effort is a good weapon. Leaving the comfort zone helps us grow. I realized something was happening to me that seemed extremely negative.

You recently suffered a stroke.

Yes, but I also had another problem at the same time. The stroke was not too serious, but together they kept me away from the stage.

Did that change your perspective on life ?

Very much so—and in a positive way. For months I suffered physical pain and had to fight. But I sensed from the beginning that this was an opportunity to grow.

Was it fear of death ?

We all have fear of death. If someone tried to kill me now, I would react. But I’m not obsessed with it.

How did your perspective change ?

For years, I kept pushing: “I have duties, a mission, I must go on.” I pushed beyond physical limits. That taught me that the values I thought were essential are actually relative.

Did you also push your body beyond its limits when playing ?

Playing doesn’t have to be exhausting. But in the last two or three years, it became exhausting. That’s why I say I went beyond my limits. The body must be included—because it is the instrument.

At the moment I don’t play much. I’ve stopped for a while. I never went to war with the piano, but there was a trauma.

Was it your body that told you to stop ?

Not to stop completely, but to stop what was harming me—the stress of the stage, the fatigue, the travel, the physical effort required for recitals.

And when you sit down and play from the heart today, what happens ?

I discover new things—peace, especially. The feeling of not needing to overcome anything.

Does the piano still hold mysteries for you ?

Of course. Any sound we try to create is complex. There is always more to discover.

Who is Maria João beyond the public figure ? Earlier we spoke of the olive harvest where you come from.

Nature is part of my daily life. I’ve always loved it, and learned to relate to it without exploiting it. Exploitation shocks me. It’s about dialogue with nature—letting it give what it gives without harming it.

What would today’s Maria João say to the little girl who began playing at age five ?

“You still have a lot to learn!” (laughs). I don’t know. Perhaps the most important thing is: listen. Listen to others. Try to understand what you hear.

You founded the Belgais Arts Center in 1999. I recently saw that Belgais is listed for sale. Is this the end of an era?

Yes. We don’t know if it will be sold or if something will be rebuilt—not directly by me. I would still work there if I can, but nothing is certain yet.

It’s important to allow surprise. If it is sold for good reasons, in a way that preserves continuity, then it’s fine.

What does “continuation” mean for you ?

Transformation without destruction. That’s the key.

It won’t be a family home again. It’s not suitable. Things must continue according to their purpose—not necessarily the same purpose, but a positive one.

Could the artistic and community education work of Belgais be replicated elsewhere in your life now ?

The projects I’ve created—from Belgais to those that followed—are flexible. They are seeds. My students now run projects inspired by those seeds, but different, because they are theirs. That’s good.

What matters is not the individual, but the experience created and passed on. What we sow matters. We reap what we sow.

Projects must be useful, not egocentric. Arrogance destroys usefulness. It’s important to give, but without exaggeration. And to delegate.

Do you regret that Belgais may end this way ? It was your dream.

I have no regrets. I like change. It refreshes ideas and places. If transformations are made with good intentions, for the community, there is nothing to regret. I am concerned about the planet and about future generations.

What is lacking in art education in Portugal ?

I wouldn’t speak only of Portugal—it’s a global human problem. Every country has shortcomings. Accusing others doesn’t help. What helps is awareness and constructive action.

Children everywhere are suffering—from over-provision or from misery, from war or from the competition that mirrors war. They are hungry for consciousness.

The world is wonderful, full of fantastic things—technology, science, artificial intelligence—but also monstrous flaws. These flaws threaten our conscience, lucidity, and discernment. I’m very worried for the planet and the new generations; it is the same issue.

Can art save us ?

I think so—if we include it within humanity, not as something separated and elevated. Art is part of the ecosystem. If we lose human values in favor of material ones, we will face that confrontation. Our survival depends on it.

---

NOTE:

The interview was translated from Portuguese, a language I am still learning. I published this unpolished version at the request of many of Maria’s students and fans who do not speak Portuguese, and to preserve the authenticity of her voice and respecting its original spirit. I hope this edited translated version helps make her message heard and enjoyed by much broader audience.