Simone Leitão

“Simone Leitão was the perfect soloist.” Miami Herald, 2009. Lawrence Budmen
“Fluent technique, precision, passion and virtuosity. A natural artist.”
New York Review – 2015
Harry Rolnick

“Simone Leitão’s Bach is full of imagination and soul.”

Grammophone Magazine, London 2018.

Simone Leitão is one of the greatest Brazilian pianists today, with a solid career sustained by over 40 annual concerts across Brazil, Europe, the United States, and Latin America. She is renowned for her intense vitality and exceptional technical ability, particularly in her interpretations of Bach, Rachmaninoff, Beethoven, Villa-Lobos, and Ginastera.

Her entrepreneurial personality has gained prominence over the past decade for her ability to create and lead significant projects that promote the high performance of young Brazilian musicians while bringing concert music to audiences throughout the country. Simone is the founder and director of Academia Jovem Concertante and the Rio Chamber Music Week (since 2012).

Leitão holds a Ph.D. in Piano Performance and Music History from the University of Miami, a Master’s in Performance from the Norwegian Academy of Music in Oslo, and a Bachelor’s in Music Education from UniRio.

Simone Leitão studied under Ivan Davis (a disciple of Horowitz) and Linda Bustani. The pianist from Minas Gerais maintains a busy schedule, with annual European tours, frequent performances at Carnegie Hall, and collaborations as a soloist with major orchestras worldwide, such as the Miami Symphony, Filarmonica de Minas, and OSB, among others.

Simone records under the American label MSR Classics and has been featured on BBC Radio 3, Danish Radio, Southern California Classical Radio, and Rádio MEC.

Her national tour with an orchestra in 2013 was the subject of a documentary directed by award-winning filmmaker Katia Lund, titled "Stop, Look, Listen."

In 2024, Simone is preparing another solo album and will undertake three national orchestra tours, as well as European and American tours. The pianist believes that entrepreneurship and effective communication are essential for maximizing the impact of concert music in today’s society.

Her digital presence is remarkable. She maintains a strong YouTube channel that brings classical music closer to the public, alongside a significant presence on various platforms, collectively garnering over 12 million views.