Nelson Freire was born on October 18, 1944 in Boa Esperança, Minas Gerais, Brazil. He died on November 1, 2021 in Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
Classical pianist whose repertoire included works of Mozart, Beethoven, Schubert, Schumann, Liszt, Brahms and Debussy; best known for his performances of the music of Chopin.
At age 13, he performed Beethoven's "Emperor" concerto at the Rio de Janeiro International Piano Competition, winning a scholarship to continue his musical studies in Vienna.