At the age of 12, he starts studying with Zé Eduardo Nazario, a great drummer and Brazilian teacher. At the age of 17 Fernando started to work professionally playing live and recording with several artists from the South of Brazil. Basically a self-taught musician Fernando is always looking for new things and ways of doing music. He was still very young when he started composing and arranging. Fernando can play almost any percussion instrument and his unique approach to drums and music has made him one of the leading Brazilian drummer´s of the actuality.
As an educator he taught in workshops and masterclasses the art of percussion and drums in various universities around the world. He moved in 1988 to Vienna, Europe where he still lives. In 1998 Fernando founded the Fernando Paiva Group to play his own compositions. Extremely appreciated by the public and also very widely recognized by the press the group has been playing in Europe and in South America where it has achieved great success and released some productions. He worked in studio and live with big names from the international music scene such as: Joe Zawinul Syndicate, Lionel Ritchie, Joe Anderson, Raul de Souza, Hermeto Paschoal, Alegre Correa, Vienna Art Orchestra to name a few.