Raúl da Costa

Born in Póvoa de Varzim, Raúl da Costa is a multi-award-winning pianist, acclaimed both in Portugal and internationally. He has performed as a soloist in some of the world's most prestigious concert halls, including the Konzerthaus Berlin, Palau de la Música Catalana, Liszt Academy Budapest, Lockenhaus Festival, and Radio France. Da Costa made his debut as a soloist with the Casa da Música Orchestra at just 12 years old. He studied under Karl-Heinz Kämmerling and Bernd Goetzke in Germany, completing postgraduate studies with Kirill Gerstein at the Hochschule für Musik Hanns Eisler Berlin. He has received scholarships from the Yamaha Music Foundation of Europe, the Yehudi Menuhin Live Music Now Foundation, and the Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation. A champion of contemporary music, Da Costa has premiered works by various composers and made numerous live recordings for NDR, SWR, and Deutschlandfunk in Germany, Radio France, Radio Antena 2, and Deutsche Grammophon platforms. In 2018, he was appointed Artistic Director of the Póvoa de Varzim International Music Festival.