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 he recently graduated from the Royal College of Music in London with First Class Honours under the guidance of Caterina Grewe.
He is currently the Hilary Fabian & Geoffrey Dellar Award Holder for a Master's degree at the same institution with Caterina Grewe, Danny Driver and Alim Beisembayev. He is also kindly supported by the Robert Turnbull Piano Foundation.
BIOGRAPHY
Francisco has been privileged to play for acclaimed musicians such as Boris Giltburg, Vitaly Pisarenko, Ian Jones, Dinara Klinton and Sofya Gulyak as well as participate in festivals locally and internationally where he has met renowned musicians like Till Fellner, Wei-Yi Yang and Jeffrey Swann.
His performances demonstrate a particular affection for romantic whilst showcasing a great 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 will be 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 led him to adapt several classical works, famous themes from film and television and compose the soundtrack for a short amateur Portuguese film.