CFA Alumni Transform Portuguese Village Through 10 Years of Music Festivals
Founded by Inês Andrade (CFA’18) and Edoardo Carpenedo (CFA’19), the Bendada International Music Festival has evolved into an internationally recognized event hosting musicians from around the world
CFA Alumni Transform Portuguese Village Through 10 Years of Music Festivals
Founded by Inês Andrade (CFA’18) and Edoardo Carpenedo (CFA’19), the Bendada International Music Festival has evolved into an internationally recognized event hosting musicians from around the world.
This article was originally published through Innovate@BU on February 14, 2025.
EXCERPT
When Boston University College of Fine Arts alumni Inês Andrade (CFA’18) and Edoardo Carpenedo (CFA’19) first conceived the idea for a music festival in a small Portuguese village, they could hardly imagine the cultural renaissance it would spark. Now celebrating its 10th anniversary, the Bendada International Music Festival (BIMF) has evolved from a modest summer program with 25 students to an internationally recognized event hosting 100 musicians from around the world.
“Every house in the village becomes filled with music,” says Andrade, describing how classical melodies cascade through the medieval streets of Bendada during the festival.
The festival’s roots trace back to a Cultural Entrepreneurship class at Boston University, where Andrade, who grew up in Lisbon but regularly visited relatives in Bendada, developed the initial concept as a class project. “I always knew I wanted to do more with music than just perform concerts,” she says. “I wanted to create something that could make an impact on a whole community.”
With encouragement from Professor Wendy Grossman and support from BU’s innovation ecosystem, what began as an academic exercise transformed into a vibrant reality. Andrade enlisted help from her chamber music group Virtuoso Soloists, including Carpenedo, who grew up in Venice.
The festival has become a powerful catalyst for regional development in northeastern Portugal. Beyond its cultural impact, BIMF has sparked economic revitalization in Bendada, leading to the restoration of historic buildings, new housing developments, and increased tourism. The village, which has had an active local woodwind ensemble since 1870 (the Sociedade Filarmónica Bendadense), has embraced its identity as an international hub for classical music education.