Cátia Alexandra Santos began her musical studies at age 10 in the Guitar class of Professor Heloísa Monteiro. The following year, she joined the Viola class of Professor Isabel Pimentel at the Conservatório Nacional de Música de Lisboa (National Conservatory of Music of Lisbon).
As professional experience, she has been part of several orchestras and chamber music groups, such as: Gustav Mahler Jugendorchester (1st Viola); Orquestra Gulbenkian (Tutti Viola); Orquestra de Câmara de Cascais e Oeiras (Tutti Viola); Tenerife Symphony Orchestra (Tutti Viola); Atlantic Coast Orchestra (1st Viola); Lisbon Film Orchestra (1st Viola); Orquestra da Cidade (Tutti Viola); Orquestra Concerto Moderno (Tutti Viola); Orquestra Permallets and Friends (Tutti Viola); Chmann Trio (manager and founding member); Vision Ensemble; Trio Di Mezzo Piano; Radio Zapping Quartet; Trio Satz; Quarteto Divertimento; Quarteto DaCatro; Quarteto Bach’us; Quinteto Fortissimo; among others.
Throughout her professional career, she has worked with internationally renowned conductors, such as: Vladimir Jurowski; Lorenzo Viotti; Robert Ziegler; Christopher Bochmann; Joana Carneiro; Osvaldo Ferreira; Sébastien Béreau; Ernst Schelle; Michel Corboz; Fabien Gabel; Nikolay Lalov; Diego Naser; Martin Elmquist; Massimo Spadano; Jorge Matta; Jukka-Pekka Saraste; Susanna Mälkki; Hannu Lintu; Eduardo García Barrios; Brian Mackay; Rui Pinheiro; Pedro Neves; Cesário Costa; Rui Massena; Carlos Garcia; Nuno Margarido Lopes; Luís Clemente; César Batalha; Alexandre Branco; Miguel Henriques; Ana Paula Mendes; among others.
She has performed abroad, in the most prestigious concert halls in the world, such as: Teatro alla Scala; Elbphilharmonie – Hamburg; Concertgebouw – Amsterdam; Konzerthaus – Berlin; Teatro Comunale di Bolzano; Teatro Comunale di Pordenone; Rudolfinum – Prague; Semperoper – Dresden; Luxembourg Philharmonie; Forum of Music – Poland; Auditorio Nacional de Música – Madrid; Palau de la Música Catalana – Barcelona; Sydney Wentworth Galleries; Italian Forum – Sydney; Shangri-La Hotel – Sydney; Musikverein – Vienna; Tenerife Auditorium; Accademia Filarmonica di Verona; among others.
Cátia’s work has been recognized, both as a soloist and in chamber music, in various ways.
As a soloist, she has distinguished herself in several editions of the Paços’ Premium Competition, winning first prize in her category; together with André Barros and the other musicians, she won the award for best soundtrack in 2015 at the Los Angeles Independent Film Festival. She was also nominated, with the same colleague and friend, in 2017, for the Hollywood Music in Media Awards festival in Los Angeles, in the category of best classical/contemporary instrumental theme.
She also performs all types of events, either solo or with her classical string trio, Chmann Trio.
Beyond her life as a performer, Cátia Alexandra Santos is also a teacher of Viola, Violin, Piano, Chamber Music, and Orchestra at several schools, namely the Conservatório de Lisboa, the Conservatório d’Artes de Loures, Colégio Mira Rio, and Colégio Sagrado Coração de Maria.