Francisco Couto began his Piano studies at 5 years old and concluded his high education degree with top marks at 16 from Instituto Gregoriano de Lisboa.

He studied with António Rosado and graduated from the Royal College of Music in London with Distinction as the Hilary Fabian & Geoffrey Dellar Award holder under the guidance of Caterina Grewe, Danny Driver, Vitaly Pisarenko and Alim Beisembayev.

He was kindly supported by The Kathleen Trust Foundation, The William Barry Trust, the St. Marylebone Educational Foundation and the Robert Turnbull Piano Foundation.​​​​​​​

BIOGRAPHY

Francisco has been privileged to play for acclaimed musicians such as Boris Giltburg, Ian Jones, Kathryn Stott, Dinara Klinton and Sofya Gulyak as well as participate in international festivals where he has met renowned musicians like Till Fellner, Wei-Yi Yang and Jeffrey Swann.

His performances demonstrate a particular affection for romantic music whilst showcasing a wide variety of repertoire. Recent works include Beethoven’s Emperor Concerto with Orquestra Médica de Lisboa, conducted by João Malha, and Beethoven’s First Concerto with Orquestra de Cordas de Bendada, conducted by Tiago Oliveira. Among numerous recordings, the soundtrack of Past Life Whispers by Jack Ledger-Dowse stands out.

Francisco is also a tactful and engaging chamber musician, having played Dvorak and Shostakovich’s Piano Quintets as well as Ravel's Piano Trio and Steve Reich's Quartet for two pianos and two vibraphones.

This year, he was once again resident artist at one of the most influential orchestras in Portugal, Orquestra de Câmara Portuguesa, having been praised for his "intimate and splendid" performance at the previous residency. His orchestral collaborations also include alongside Orquestra Sem Fronteiras, conducted by Henrique Constância, which earned him a first prize ex-aequo at Bendada Concerto Competition 2024. He was equally awarded the second prize in his category at WPTA Austria International Piano Competition 2026.

Aside from his playing, Francisco teaches at Ealing Junior Music School, arranges for orchestra and piano and is an avid cinema lover. His advanced studies in orchestration were key in adapting classical works, famous themes from film and television and composing the soundtrack for a short film.