PlínioFernandes

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  • Guitar

About Plínio

Born and raised in São Paulo, Plínio Fernandes fuses the tradition of classical guitar with Brazilian folk music.

An exclusive Decca Gold recording artist, Plínio released his debut album, Saudade, in 2022, which hit Number One on the Billboard Traditional Classical Albums Chart. His second album, Bacheando, released in September 2023, explores Bach’s influence on Brazilian music and contrasts to his recently released EP, Cinema.

Following recent debuts at the BBC Proms and Lucerne Festival, the 2024/25 season sees Plínio perform solo recitals at St Martin in the Fields and Temple Music Church, as well as making debuts at the Concertgebouw, Amsterdam, Canterbury Festival and Newbury Spring Festival. He will also debut with the BBC Concert Orchestra, performing Rodrigo’s ‘Concierto de Aranjuez’, and Britten Sinfonia later this season.

Plínio performers regularly with a number of musicians, including Lang Lang and brothers Braimah and Sheku Kanneh-Mason. Last season saw Sheku and Plinio give a five-date recital tour of the UK which included a sold-out performance at Wigmore Hall.

Plínio was named on Forbes Brazil’s Under 30 list, a Rising Star by Classic FM, and recently received the Revelação Award at the 30th Annual Prêmio da Música Brasileira. A passionate advocate for music education, Plínio was invited to join London Music Masters as an ambassador, and is involved with performing, teaching and guiding young musicians in schools.

Plínio is based in London

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Contact

Jemima Pickersgill

Jemima Pickersgill

Assistant Artist Manager

Representation

Worldwide general management with Askonas Holt

Follow Plínio

Season Highlights

Aug 2024
Royal Albert Hall, London
BBC Proms debut Fantasia Orchestra with Braimah and Sheku Kanneh-Mason
Aug 2024
Luzerner Theater, Lucerne
Lucerne Festival debut Duo recital with Sheku Kanneh-Mason
Oct 2024
The De La Warr Pavilion, Bexhill on Sea
Rodrigo: Concierto de Aranjuez BBC Concert Orchestra (debut) Anna-Maria Helsing (conductor)
Oct 2024
St Martin in the Fields, London
St Martin in the Fields return Solo recital
Oct 2024
Westgate Hall, Canterbury
Canterbury Festival debut Solo recital
May 2025
Highclere Castle, Newbury
Newbury Spring Festival debut Solo recital
Jun 2025
Britten Sinfonia debut Programme to be announced

Video

Photos

Selected Repertoire

Castenuovo-Tedesco

Concerto in D

Ponce

Concierto del Sur

Rodrigo

Concierto de Aranjuez

Villa-Lobos

Concerto for guitar

Sample Programmes

  • Solo Recital

    Villa-Lobos: Bachianas Brasileiras No. 4 - Prelúdio Bach: Prelude, Fuga and Allegro, BWV 998 in E flat Major Villa-Lobos: Five Preludes Parra: Gracias a la vida Barroso: Aquarela do Brasil Lobo/Buarque: Beatriz Do Bandolim: Assanhado

  • Solo Rectial

    Dowland: Preludium Dowland: Sir John’s Smith His Almain Dowland: Melancholy Galliard Dowland: Fantasia 7 Sor: Theme and Variations Opus 9 Villa-Lobos: Five Preludes De Falla: Homenaje “Le Tombeau de Claude Debussy” Brouwer: Sonata No 1

  • Solo Recital

    Purcell: Keyboard Suite no 8 in F Major Sor: Theme and Variations Opus 9 Villa-Lobos: Five Preludes Ohana: Tiento Walton: Five Bagatelles

News

Press

  • Through The Noise with Braimah Kanneh-Mason

    The Jazz Cafe, Camden
    Jan 2024

    • ...Fernandes had an energising rhythmic swing in the Piazzola dance pieces but also showed a winning lyrical gift in two Brazilian numbers, Violetta Para’s Gracias a la Vida and Dilermando Reis’s Xodó Da Baiana. He was also an alert accompanist, slowing the tempo almost imperceptibly to make space for Kanneh-Mason’s delicately discreet slides in Paganini’s Cantabile... It was extraordinary to witness this sweaty dance space reduced to silence and suffused with ancient melancholy... To end the set, Fernandes and Kanneh-Mason gave us a final burst of virtuosity in music by Sarasate and Manuel de Falla, which sent us all out into the rainy Camden night with a spring in our step.

  • Bacheando

    CD
    Sep 2023

    • Pairing the guitar works of Bach with the music of South America is a well-established album tradition, with plenty of underwhelming offerings. The second release from Plínio Fernandes is no such thing, showing the quiet, contemplative powers of a promising young artist... Careful attention has been paid to voicing throughout, which shows off the highly textured nature of many of these pieces. With Decca’s brilliantly clear, highly detailed sound recording, the smallest of glitches or missteps would stand out – but nothing is missed or glossed over here.

  • Saudade

    CD
    Aug 2022

    • ***** A lithe, richly vibrant performance... Fernandes is beguiling throughout.

    • Bittencourt: Assanhado... opens the album with a strong performance and shows Fernandes’ rhythmic drive and ability to keep multiple layers sustained and clearly flowing. Kanneh-Mason’s performance on cello during Bachianas Brasileiras No. 5: I. Aria (Cantilena) is beautiful, and Fernandes’ accompanying is sensitive to the dynamics and pulse. The Five Preludes of Heitor Villa-Lobos are performed tastefully... Antônio Carlos Jobim’s composition Samba do Avião... is a highlight of the album and embodies Fernandes’ goal to express through music his Brazilian heritage. Saudade is a welcome addition to the classical guitar canon, and its expansion of tunes past the traditional repertoire is especially welcome. That’s the short of it!

    • Fernandes is plenty charismatic in performance, and the charisma comes through in this recording... Fernandes is arguably at his strongest in straight classical repertory like the Villa-Lobos Preludes, where he manages a difficult combination of lyricism and virtuosity. Just 27 when this album appeared in 2022, Fernandes is clearly a young talent to watch.

    • His tone is gloriously rich... Not only that but he’s acutely attentive to detail... An impressive and highly enjoyable debut...

Discography