Richard Octaviano Kogima is a Brazilian conductor, pianist and composer currently based in Zurich, Switzerland. Born and raised in São Paulo, he has performed as a conductor, soloist and chamber musician throughout Brazil, United States and Europe in venues that include: Tonhalle Maag and Tonhalle (Zurich), DR Koncerthuset (Denmark) Salle Cortot (Paris), University Aula (Oslo), Sala São Paulo (Brazil) and Pärnu Concert Hall (Estonia).

In 2022, Richard was invited by Herbert Blomsted to accompany him in a 6 weeks USA tour with leading American orchestras, and had the opportunity to learn closely from Mr. Blomstedt during this period. Mr. Blomstedt’s influence has impacted Richard’s development in countless and long-lasting ways.

Since then, he enjoyed successful debuts such as conducting the season opening of the Neojiba Orchestra in Salvador, Brazil, as well as conducting the Orquestra Experimental de Repertório at Sala São Paulo and the São Paulo University Orchestra. In 2023 Richard was an active participant at the Järvi Conducting Academy, learning from Paavo, Neeme and Kristjan Järvi, and Leonid Grin. He has also taken part in masterclasses with Marc Kissoczy and Johannes Schlaefli.

In 2024 he has been selected for the Malko Conducting Competition, where he reached the quarterfinals and had the opportunity to conduct the National Danish Symphony Orchestra. He has also been chosen for the Tonhalle Conductors Academy, where he will learn from Paavo Järvi and conduct the Tonhalle Orchestra Zürich.

A laureate of several international piano competitions, Richard has been awarded the “Nelson Freire Award” at the Geza Anda Piano Competition in 2021, as well as 1st Prizes at the Concours Flame (Paris), Landolt Competition and KIWANIS Chamber Music Competition Zürich and the 5th Andrews Music Competition (Michigan, USA). He has also received the Press Award at the Olga Kern Piano Competition (Albuquerque, USA) and the Audience Award at Alain Marinaro Competition (France).

Among the music festivals Richard participated are the Emil Gilels Festival, Usedomer Musikfest, Germany; Festspillene i Bergen, Norway; Chautauqua Institution Music Festival, USA; Festival Internacional de Inverno de Campos do Jordão, Brazil. He has worked in masterclasses and received musical insights from artist such as Maria João Pires, Leif Ove Andsnes, Kirill Gerstein, and performed with chamber music colleagues such as Alexander Sitkovetsky, Paul Handschke and Andreas Janke.

In 2019 Richard received a Medal of Honor from the “Association Internationale Pour La Défense De La Liberté Religieuse” in Geneva after performing a series of concerts dedicated to this cause.

Richard obtained two Masters Degrees in Piano in the class of Konstantin Scherbakov and a Masters in Choir Conducting in the Class of Markus Utz at the Zurich University of Arts. He currently teaches chamber music and conducting at the Pre-College Department of this institution, as well as complementary piano. Richard received his Bachelor in Piano Performance at Universidade de São Paulo (class of Eduardo Monteiro) and a Diplôme Supérieur d’Exécution at the École Normale de Musique de Paris (class of Guigla Katsarava) funded by a full scholarship from “Fond Brésil”. In his youth, he studied with Maria José Carrasqueira and his grandmother, Helgard Ostermayer Octaviano.