Carlo Santos

Carlo Santos is a gold medalist in piano performance of the Royal Conservatory of Music. Born and raised in Calgary, he started his post-secondary studies outside of the musical field with a mechanical engineering degree from the University of Calgary. He obtained the Associate Diploma (ARCT) in Piano Performance with first class honours from the Royal Conservatory of Music and the Licentiate Diploma (LRCM) with distinction, studying with Allen Reiser. In 2020 he was awarded the National Gold Medal from the Royal Conservatory of Music for achieving the highest mark in Canada for his LRCM performance.

As an active performer, Carlo has performed in solo recitals across Alberta and competed in the 2021 Hones Pro-Am Competition. He has participated in masterclasses with concert pianists Ingrid Fliter, Martín García Garcia, Roman Rabinovich, Katherine Chi, Konstantin Shamray, and Rachel Naomi Kudo.

Foregoing the engineering profession to those more passionate and qualified, Carlo enthusiastically teaches piano and theory lessons full-time in his private studio and adjudicates in music festivals across the province. Carlo's online students span across Northern Alberta, Saskatchewan, and Manitoba.

At the core of Carlo's teaching ethos is engagement, which he defines as the intersection between passion, proficiency, and enjoyment. His studio of over fifty students spans a diverse range of age and skill: from four to over seventy years old, and from the beginner to ARCT level. As a musician and educator, Carlo's mission is to nurture his students' love for playing the piano and to help them learn the music that is dearest to their hearts.