paul-nicolaou

About

Paul Nicolaou is an award-winning harpist and composer based in Sydney, Australia. Praised as “brilliant” (classikON), he has quickly gained international recognition as a creative and virtuosic young artist, receiving numerous accolades including First Prize in the 2023 National Youth Music Arranging Competition, the 2024 ABC Classic Composer Commissioning Fund, 2021 Monash University Emerging Composer Prize and Most Outstanding Performer Award at the 2022 Sydney Harp Eisteddfod. 

Currently an Honours student at the Sydney Conservatorium of Music, Paul studies under the tutelage of internationally celebrated harpist Alice Giles AM. He has quickly established himself as an accomplished and sought-after performer, appearing as Guest Principal Harp with the Queensland Symphony Orchestra, Tasmanian Symphony Orchestra and Auckland Philharmonia, as well as Omega Ensemble, Ensemble Apex and more. He is also a freelance harpist with Opera Australia and has previously participated in nine Australian Youth Orchestra performance programs, eight of which as a principal musician.

Paul has participated in several notable composition programs including the Australian Youth Orchestra’s 2022 Composition Program and the 2023 Ku-ring-gai Philharmonic Orchestra Composer Workshop. He is a finalist in the 2025 APRA Professional Development Awards under the Screen Composition category and received the Highly Commended Award in Willoughby Symphony Orchestra’s 2023 Young Composer Competition.

Paul is also an experienced pianist, violinist, an accredited music arranger with the Music Arrangers’ Guild of Australia and Australian Music Centre Associate Artist.

Sign up for all the latest AYO news straight to your inbox

Name(Required)