Biography
Houston-based Brazilian cellist and multi-disciplinary artist Caio Diniz is Chamber Music Manager at the Shepherd School of Music at Rice University, where he works closely with his former teacher Norman Fischer in the production of the chamber music program for strings, piano, harp and organ.
Regarded as “Truly Enchanting” by the New York Concert Review, Caio Diniz joins his passion for new music with his deep roots in Brazilian folk traditions, often collaborating with emerging composers in the commission of works exploring different aspects of his heritage.
For three consecutive years Caio was awarded the Houston Arts Alliance SACI Grant in support of his artistic initiatives. In 2024, his project Impressions in Translation brought to stage works for cello and piano that reimagined northeastern-Brazilian folk genres through the lenses of 5 unique composers. His 2025 project REFRACTED commissioned 7 works for string trio that blended the cultural and musical backgrounds of the artists involved in the project. Most recently, he has been developing Threads, a project that explores, through 4 new commissions, the power of music outside of the concert halls as a force for social representation, heritage, community and resistance. (Premiere November 2026 at MATCH)
Finding himself at home in Houston's spirited new music scene, Caio often collaborates with prominent groups such as MUSIQA Houston, ROCO, Kinetic Ensemble and Loop38, as he explores new sounds and artistic expressions.
When not performing, Caio works behind the scenes as a producer, videographer, sound and recording engineer. He is the resident media engineer for the Houston Music Festival and recurringly collaborates with Cor Mundi Chamber Choir as a videographer. Additionally, he is the Live Stream Score Director for the Houston Symphony Orchestra, working with the video department to direct the camera work for the symphony’s concerts live transmissions in Jones Hall and online.
Caio has had the pleasure of studying cello under the mentorship of Felipe Avellar de Aquino, Dennis Parker, Helga Winold, Scott Kluksdahl and Norman Fischer. His final degree was awarded by the Shepherd School of Music at Rice University.