Bio

Sandra Mohr is a Brazilian pianist and composer. In 2002 she graduated Bachelor of Music – Piano at Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul. As additional training, she studied violin, opera singing, composition and conducting. 

In 1998 (age 19), she was honored with a commendation by Rotary Club Santa Cruz do Sul and also with the appointment of highlighted Music student at Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul. In 2000 she won the Young Soloists Competition of the Porto Alegre Symphony Orchestra (OSPA).

Sandra started composing at age 9 and wrote over 150 pieces, half of them for solo piano. Since 1995, her compositions have been performed in piano recitals, chamber music recitals and in concerts with orchestra. Some compositions were published in the book ‘Prata da Casa’ – Works for recorder written by composers connected to the Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul, in the Sheet Music Book 2016 from the Project DuoBrasil – Brazilian classical music for recorder and piano; and in the sheet music book Brazilian Contemporary Piano Repertoire. Her compositions are part of the CDs Arte pela Paz (Art for Peace – 2005), Música Erudita Brasileira para Flauta Doce e Piano (Brazilian Classical Music for Recorder and Piano – DuoBrasil – 2021), and Repertório Contemporâneo Brasileiro para Piano (Brazilian Contemporary Piano Repertoire – 2022). Available on digital platforms.

Between 1997 and 2010, she worked intensively as a piano and violin teacher. In 1998, Sandra formed a camerata with her students, which would give rise, in 2002, to the Santa Cruz do Sul Youth Orchestra, in Southern Brazil. As a violinist, she joined several youth orchestras and, between 2009 and 2010, she worked as a professional violinist by the State University Symphony Orchestra of Londrina (OSUEL), in Paraná/Brazil. Since 1997, Sandra has written didactic arrangements for school ensembles and youth orchestras in Rio Grande do Sul/Brazil. Since 2006, her arrangements have been performed by Camerata Ivoti on their tours across Europe. In February 2014, Sandra organized the I Music Workshop of the Timbó Chamber Orchestra, in Santa Catarina/Brazil. Between 2015 and 2019, she created, managed and conducted the Santa Cruz Filarmonia orchestra in her hometown.

Between 2005 and 2017, she joined the Porto Alegre Choir, today called Porto Alegre Consort, performing at different moments as a collaborative pianist, member of the choir and soprano soloist in works by Bach and Mozart.

Sandra has been working as a pianist and piano teacher in several music festivals in southern Brazil. She also has performed as soloist with numerous orchestras in the Southern States of Brazil. As a chamber musician, she worked with outstanding musicians on the international scene, such as Deutsche Grammophon Artist – trumpeter Francisco Pacho Flores (Venezuela), flutist Andrea Ceccomori (Italy) and violinist Barbara Barber (USA). In 2008 she had the honor to pay tribute to Prince Naruhito, today Emperor of Japan, during his visit to Brazil.

Since 2011, Sandra devotes herself to a pianist career. In 2012, she was on tour with the recital ‘Romantic Geniuses’, performing virtuosic pieces by composers such as Chopin, Liszt and Rachmaninoff. She made her debut in Europe in 2013, during the Brazil-Germany year. In the following year, she spent a few months in Germany, updating herself.

In 2015 she was in São Paulo to receive a commendation from the Brazilian Leadership Association (BRASLIDER), the Excellence and Quality Brazil 2015 Award. In 2016, she was awarded by the Commercial and Industrial Association (ACI) and the City Council with the Leaders and Winners Award Regional Stage Santa Cruz do Sul, as Cultural Expression.

In January 2017, she was Executive Director of the I Musikfest – Music Festival held in Santa Cruz do Sul, alongside Pedagogical Director baritone and choral conductor Francis Padilha and Artistic Director conductor Claudio Ribeiro. She also taught the course of Music Reading for Choirists and performed as pianist, sharing the stage with the festival’s teachers.

In November 2019, she was honored as a composer at the XVII Cora Pavan Capparelli National Piano Competition, held in Uberlândia – Minas Gerais – Brazil. Sandra took part in the contest’s judging board, where she had the unique opportunity to appreciate young piano talents performing some of her compositions for solo piano, piano four hands and chamber music with piano.

In early 2023, Sandra published the sheet music album Origens (Origins), with her most significant compositions for solo piano. The Launch Recital took place in August, in Joinville/Santa Catarina/Brazil.

In December of the same year, she was in Rio de Janeiro, to attend the premiere of her composition Três Guerreiras Brasileiras (Three Brazilian Warriors), performed by soprano Chiara Santoro and pianist Viviane Sobral. The composition was awarded at the XXV Contemporary Brazilian Music Biennial.

In February 2024, the world premiere of the work Liberdade e o Dragão do Mar (Freedom and the See Dragon), written in December of the previous year, took place. The work was performed by the National Symphony Orchestra of Cuba, under the direction of Brazilian conductor Claudio Ribeiro. The concert took place at the National Theater of Cuba, closing the XXXII Havana International Book Fair, which this year had Brazil as guest of honor.

In March this year, Sandra released her first single as a composer and performer: Balada (Ballade). This dreamy piano piece, combines the essence of the classical music ballad genre with a touch of the pop ballad, and it is the result of a research carried out in 2020, on more than 200 ballads written for solo piano. Balada is available on digital platforms.

Currently, living in Southern Brazil, Sandra dedicates herself to a pianist and composer career.