Biography

“From the very beginning, the project was defined by its originality and the continuous exploration of new soundscapes.”

Formed in 2014, the duo Alma Menor was born from a creative partnership that began in 2011 between accordionist Tiago Marques and bagpiper Tiago Morais. Their debut album, Em Tons de Aguarela (2018), introduced their distinct fusion of bagpipes and chromatic accordion, establishing their unique place in modern Portuguese instrumental music.

Alma Menor's music merges the vibrant timbres of the bagpipes with the rich harmonic textures of the accordion. Drawing inspiration from waltzes, tangos, klezmer, jazz, and Portuguese folk tradition, their sound travels beyond borders, captivating and exciting listeners at every performance.

In 2025, the duo released Raízes de Xisto, the first chapter of an ambitious trilogy redefining Portuguese traditional music through meticulous composition and innovative performance. That year also brought new arrangements of Carlos Paredes's work, performed at Aula Magna and in Coimbra, alongside an international appearance at Yerevan Music Week in Armenia. In 2026, the duo cemented their acclaim at major festivals, performing at Palheta Bendita and headlining the prestigious Piping Live! festival in Glasgow.