PAULO F. MORAES
Biography
Paulo F. Moraes is a Brazilian neoclassical pianist and composer, born in February 1994 in the city of Sorocaba, in the countryside of São Paulo, Brazil. He grew up in a quiet, peripheral neighborhood with little access to cultural exposure until the age of 11, when music first entered his life in 2005.
Paulo began his musical studies that same year through free lessons offered by a local church. His first instrument was the recorder, through which he learned to read sheet music and perform classical pieces as part of the church orchestra. He studied and performed with the ensemble until the age of 13. It was there that his journey truly began—the moment he first heard Bach’s “Jesus Bleibet Meine Freude – Cantata BWV 147.” It was love at first sound. From then on, his teenage years were soundtracked by great composers such as Bach, Vivaldi, Beethoven, Yann Tiersen, Kjartan Sveinsson (Sigur Rós), and others.
At 15, Paulo picked up string instruments—guitar, electric guitar, and bass—and immersed himself deeply in genres like blues, progressive rock, and psychedelic music. He composed extensively in these styles, though he never released those early works. This period with strings—as well as the harmonica—laid the foundation for his true passion: to improvise, create, and compose. From the moment he held his first guitar, Paulo always preferred spending time improvising rather than studying existing works by other artists—a creative habit he carried with him for the next 12 years.
Paulo earned a degree in Electrical Engineering in 2016, at age 21. He later completed postgraduate studies, specializing in Business & Industrial Automation, and has worked for years in sales and business management within the industrial sector. During this time, he drifted away from composing and creating music.
At 27, in 2021—inspired by one of his key references, pianist Franz Ventura, and driven by a long-buried desire to create—Paulo returned to music. He bought his first piano and stepped into the world of piano composition. It was love from the first touch. Since then, he has composed dozens of works in the neoclassical style, with a particular fondness for waltzes. In 2022, Paulo won his first composition contest—the Franz Ventura Piano Competition, hosted by a prominent Brazilian pianist YouTuber—with his piece “La Fin D’un Amour.” This recognition became a turning point, inspiring him to dedicate himself deeply to his career as a composer. He began recording, producing, and releasing his own music on digital platforms.
Since then, Paulo has composed with one clear intention: to touch people through his music.
His first official album, “3/4 of Experimentalism” (2023), is a pure exploration of creativity, built around eight original compositions in ¾ time. The album reflects his artistic influences with clarity and sincerity. Also in 2023, he officially released the single “La Fin D’un Amour,” the award-winning piece from the competition.
Paulo’s key influences include artists such as Yann Tiersen, Eric Christian, Sigur Rós, and Chopin.
He is currently working on his upcoming EP, “Lullabies for Madalena,” with singles set to release through May 2026. In parallel, he is also composing material for his next album, “Diaspora,” also planned for release in 2026.
To learn more about the stories behind each album and single, click here.
