Plínio Fernandes

Brazilian guitar player. Born into a family of musicians, Fernandes received his first guitar lessons from his father. At the age of 12, after winning national youth guitar competitions, he played as a guest soloist with the Campo Grande Symphony Orchestra and took private lessons in São Paulo from the renowned teacher Henrique Pinto and later, at 16, from Pinto’s student and protégé, Fabio Zanon. Fernandes then received a full scholarship to attend the International Campos do Jordão Winter Festival from 2011-2014. During that period, he gave recitals and performed in chamber concerts in some 35 cities throughout Brazil and Chile. Encouraged by his family and teachers, he made the move to London to pursue a career as a concert musician. His teachers at the Royal Academy of Music (2014-2020) included Zanon, Prof. Michael Lewin, Steve Goss, and David Russell, under a full scholarship funded by the Brazilian Ministry of Education. Fernandes featured on Sheku Kanneh-Mason's acclaimed 2020 album, 'Elgar'.