About Patricio
NAMED A ‘GIFTED ARTIST’ BY THE NEW YORK TIMES, DR. PATRICIO MOLINA D.M.A., PH.D. has gained a reputation as a composer, pianist, and educator. He regularly appears on stages such as Carnegie Hall and OPERA America. Dr. Molina is a Yamaha Artist. The New Jersey Youth Symphony, White Snake Projects, Legacy Arts International, and Ulysses Quartet are among the many artists and institutions who have recognized his talents with commissioned works. Inspirations for his compositions include his Chilean-Syrian heritage, mythology, and literature, as well as his experience as an immigrant. His accomplishments in the field of arts education have been recognized by the New Jersey Education Association with their prestigious Award for Excellence. Patricio is in demand as a lecturer on a wide variety of topics including composition, Arabic music, and building inclusion in classical music and has presented his research and expertise at institutions such as the College Music Society National Conference, The National Association for Music Education, The New Jersey Music Educators Association, and the Penn State International New-Music Festival and Symposium. Patricio holds a Master's Degree with distinction from the Manhattan School of Music. In 2019, he earned the first double doctorate in the history of Rutgers University: a D.M.A. in Piano Performance, and a Ph.D. in Music Composition. He serves as Director of the Conservatory for Newark School of the Arts, and Music Director at St. Thomas the Apostle Church of Bloomfield, New Jersey. He is Founder and President of the Pan-Global Music Initiative, a nonprofit foundation that seeks to promote classical music from underrepresented cultures. Patricio was recently awarded a Post-Doctoral Fellowship at Universidad Católica Nordestana (DR) and has begun work on a book for student pianists based on beloved Caribbean melodies set for publication in 2026.
Debut and Life in Chile
Patricio began his life in the mountainous town of Los Andes in Chile. Born to a Chilean father and a Syrian mother, his family blended languages and cultures. His premature skill on the piano led a Chilean network to debut his talents on national television at the age of three. Dubbed "Little Mozart", he immediately began studies at the University of Chile on a full scholarship. It was to be the beginning of many years of concertizing and competing, winning several Gold medals, and earning international accolades.
At the invitation of King Abdullah of Jordan, Patricio toured in several countries in the Middle East and in Germany. His fame in Chile and abroad also led him to encounter the great Pavarotti at eight years old, joining him on a performing tour of Chile.
Patricio's debut on national television at three years old.
Opportunity in the United States
Patricio's life would forever be changed after a visit to the United States at the age of thirteen. A series of fortuitous meetings led him first to audition for the Newark School of the Arts, where he became a Carollo Scholar, and then for the Manhattan School of Music Pre-College. He was awarded a full scholarship and settled in Paterson, New Jersey.
Despite the success and opportunity he found in his new home, this time in Patricio's life was not without difficulty. Living with only his mother at first as new immigrants, neither of them speaking English, the family struggled for many years to make ends meet. It would be two years before his family would be fully reunited.
Patricio continued his studies at Manhattan School of Music, eventually entering the school as an undergraduate in 2008 and then a graduate student, all on full scholarship. His reputation as a performer continued to grow in New York and New Jersey. Over the next several years he was featured on PBS's From the Top television program, WQXR, and in several publications. His performances included appearances at Carnegie Hall and pre-performance features at NJPAC. He was a winner in the 2008 International New York Piano Competition.
Watch: Patricio Performs “Goyescas” and Premieres “Un Sabor Chileno” on WQXR with David Dubal (2014)
"His musical instincts were absolutely extraordinary. You cannot teach talent, you cannot teach intelligence, you cannot teach dedication. He had all three in profusion. All the teachable things, he learned with extraordinary speed.”
-Dr. Marc Silverman, Piano Department Chair, Manhattan School of Music
Pursuing a Double Doctorate
Patricio graduated from the Manhattan School of Music with a Masters Degree in Piano Performance in 2014, earning the prestigious Harold Bauer Award for Most Outstanding Graduating Pianist. Soon after, Patricio announced his intention to pursue two doctoral degrees at Rutgers University, the first in the history of Rutgers.
Interview with Linda Baquero, NBC NYC Channel 4 (2016)
He completed his D.M.A. in Piano Performance in 2019 under the guidance of Dr. Min Kwon. Patricio completed his Ph.D. and the second of the two doctorates under the guidance of Dr. Robert Aldridge n 2020.
Patricio premieres "Samba" with NJSO players at NJPAC.
Present: Composing, Teaching, and Outreach
Patricio's driving purpose is to make people's lives better through music. He engages in a broad range of projects and teaching opportunities, all with the goal of bringing people together through music so that they may be uplifted. He wishes to make music accessible, so that people can understand it.
In 2017, Patricio co-founded Notes for Growth, a nonprofit that delivers pianos and other instruments to countries around the world dedicated to providing music education for underprivileged children.
He served as Music Director in a 2021 concert featuring music composed with poetry from Mapuche poets, indigenous peoples of South America. It was the first time the language of Mapudungun was ever heard at Carnegie Hall.
In 2023, Patricio founded the Pan Global Music Initiative.
The Pan Global Music Initiative (PGMI) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization dedicated to the promotion and propagation of classical music, with a particular focus on under-represented cultures worldwide. Our mission encompasses performance, educational outreach, cultural preservation, and the advancement of the arts.
Dominican Music Initiative
Dr. Patricio Molina and the Pan Global Music Initiative, in collaboration with Universidad Católica Nordestana in the Dominican Republic, has launched a project centered on Caribbean art music, with a special focus on the music of the Dominican Republic. The project seeks to explore the rich cultural and historical dimensions of Dominican music, culminating in the publication of a volume of piano works, a series of performances, and an album recording.
