Born in Portugal, Rui lives in Basel. He studied with Hugues Kesteman in Artave and Porto Music Academy, Sergio Azzolini at the Music Academy in Basel (soloist diploma with distinction) and with Marco Postinghel at the Richard Strauss Conservatory in Munich. Rui’s passion for teaching led him to deliver masterclasses in Europe, America, South America and Africa and teach the bassoon and chamber music in different academies and universities for several years. Rui is professor of Bassoon at the Academy in Strasbourg (HEAR – Haute école des arts du Rhin).
He plays a Peter de Koningh Baroque bassoon ‘after J.H. Eichentopf’ and a Heckel 15 ‘639, one of the rare copies from the Azzolini model.

The New York Times credits Rui Lopes as “the richly gifted bassoonist”. Gramophone concurs: “highly musical and virtuoso”. Although Rui Lopes only began studying the bassoon at eighteen, his musical temperament and virtuosity were quickly recognized and received many awards, including first prize in the prestigious Estoril International Competition. One of the most promising bassoonists of his generation, he shares his great passion for music with concert audiences all over the world.