Paul Nicolaou

“[Paul] plays with a profound musicality; and what was particularly impressive was his command of the silences. This skill usually takes years to develop, and he understands it already. Every single note he played fitted into this glorious soundscape…”

– Mark Walton; performer, composer, arranger, musical educator
“the brilliant young harpist, Paul Nicolaou. His performances shed light on the subtle timbral possibilities of his instrument, climaxing in his finale... Very impressive also was the premiere of Nicolaou’s own composition, Between Darkness and Light,"

- David Vance, classikON
"Paul Nicolaou’s, Of Light, Divided... shimmered, and melted through gorgeous tonalities and reflected the sentiment of the whole concert, beauty.”

Rob Kennedy, CBR CityNews
“Topping off the Fantasy Overture is the exquisite harp playing of Paul Nicolaou, who almost emerges as a featured soloist."

Jansson J. Antmann, LIMELIGHT
“There was some very high quality work… but [Paul’s] stood out as an exceptional example of both compositional craft and musicality.”

– Sir Zelman Cowen School of Music and Performance, Monash University

- David Vance, classikON

“Rapidly emerging as one of Australia’s most exciting young artists” (ABC Classic), Paul Nicolaou is a multi-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 the 2026 APRA Professional Development Award for Screen Composition, the 2026 Eva Pascoe Award, First Prize in the 2023 National Youth Music Arranging Competition and the 2021 Monash University Emerging Composer Prize.
After commencing harp aged 16, he has quickly established himself as an accomplished, versatile 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. Paul also regularly performs with the Opera Australia Orchestra, and was Principal Harp of the Australian Youth Orchestra (AYO) from 2022-24.

“[Paul] plays with a profound musicality; and what was particularly impressive was his command of the silences. This skill usually takes years to develop, and he understands it already. Every single note he played fitted into this glorious soundscape…”