What is missing in Porto? How should the House be designed? What satisfies the public? What do musicians need? What philosophy should govern programming? These were some of the many questions raised prior to the design of Casa da Música and the person who had to find solutions was Pedro Burmester, who started the work before there was even a construction site, intervened during the construction and continued to manage it after its completion. The memories of the pianist, who would become the equipment's first programmer and musical director, are as much more relevant to telling the history of the House as the weight of his words, back in 1999, in defining the specifications to which the work emblematic of Porto 2001 - European Capital of Culture would have to respond. Because Pedro Burmester knew what was really needed for a musical event space. His concerns focused on the public's enjoyment and the musicians' performance, wanting to enhance both, make them more positive and make this an added value for the city. Factors that he kept present when he designed the functional program to come into force as soon as the House was completed. More than building a house for music, it was necessary to point out what it should respond to well beyond the inauguration date. From Burmester's perspective, the objective was to offer Porto equipment that would catalyze its cultural experience in a remarkable way. Therefore, it should not overlap with those that already exist, but rather become complementary in the spirit of a network. And the assumption, right from the start, of the option to do without the “classic” orchestra pit in the auditorium is significant, as the city was already served in this aspect. With an opinion based on strong convictions, Pedro Burmester came to be at the center of controversy due to his ideas, not out of stubbornness, but because he wanted to provide effective answers to essential questions, since, for the pianist, Music is knowledge as essential as Language, Mathematics or Philosophy. It is really curious to note – because he assumes it – that his dedication to Casa da Música, both in the initial phase and later in the Artistic Direction, marked him and his relationship with the public, awakening in him with vigor the feeling of sharing. Now, this feeling was of supreme importance in the design of what the House would be and represent to whoever passed by, whether they were the public, musicians, technicians, administrative or operational staff. By explaining what these experiences should be, Burmester ended up affecting with the same feeling of sharing those who participated with him in the decision on the design of the building and its operation. Even the questions raised by Dutch architect Rem Koolhaas' proposal were overcome because all the engineering and construction teams involved 100% internalized the desire to achieve it. Calling on a musician to play a key role in a work of this type was not only a rare case, but also unexpected – a real provocation. And the pianist from Porto, in addition to defining the requirements for the birth of the House, actively monitored the selection of the designer. Namely, he shared the baton of the project evaluation committee with Artur Santos Silva, then executive president of Sociedade Porto 2001, SA, Nuno Cardoso, company administrator and future acting president of Porto City Council during construction, director Ricardo Pais, at the time director of the Teatro Nacional São João, and the architects Manuel Correia Fernandes, also administrator of Porto 2001, Eduardo Souto de Moura, Manuel Salgado and Álvaro Siza Vieira.