What sparked your initial interest in the piano, and how did your journey as a pianist begin?
My mother and father were musicians, and so from my youth, they wished I'd too become one. At the age of 4, I was signed up for cello at an academy, yet I never took to it and spent most of the lessons in boredom. Nevertheless, one day I noticed a piano in another room, from thenceforth I fell in love with the piano, and so I requested my parents that I moved from the cello lessons to the piano. At the age of 7, I signed up at the Padre Antonio Soler Conservatory, and so I took my interest in the piano more seriously as I did beforehand, as I advance in my skill, I began competing in piano competitions across Spain and in Europe, as my interest did grow so did my “learnedness”, little by little, in the piano, and still grows and will grow of course, since there is a wide range, I am a sixteen-year old. All of this certainly could not have happened to the extent it did without my teacher Ofelia Montalván. The piano did, and still to this day, is one of the great pillars of my life.
What was the first piece you learned to play? Do you have a favorite piece or composition that you love to perform?
To my disappointment, I don’t remember the first piece I learned, but I started to play scales and chords, and later, some pieces of children’s books. However, I do remember my first little composition, “3 amigos pasean en bici” (3 friends ride in a bike). I do not think that I will nor could put aside any one piece as my favourite in a world where Rachmaninoff, Chopin or Scriabin (just to mention a few of the great composers) all have lived, all be it, I will mention the love I had to play the Chopin Concerto 1, the Prokofiev Toccata, and the Rachmaninoff Corelli variations. In the future, I’d certainly love to have such an honour to perform truly wonderful works such as Gaspard de la Nuit by Ravel or the Rachmaninoff concertos.
How do you approach your daily practice routine, and what do you prioritize?
When I practise, I work in different areas. Firstly, I practise the technical difficulties, yet I must say that I feel there is none but one which holds greater primacy: truly understanding the music. No, not just knowing what harmonies I am playing or how the polyphony is working, but truly feeling them and giving them a sense within the complete work.
Secondly, when I can play a piece technically, I try to play it or listen to a video of it sped up to understand the piece in a fluent way. This allows me, when playing it at the real tempo, to have a general vision of the piece. As one would certainly expect, I also play it slower so that I may hear everything more deeply. I really love analysing pieces and hearing every relation within the notes while I discover new and interesting details. I think that this “exploration” method is logical, taking into account my compositional spirit. In my opinion, music is poetry, and I want to work in order to make that poetry.
Who are some composers or musicians that have inspired you the most over the years? Do you have a favorite composer, and if so, what draws you to their work?
At present, I really enjoy Lugansky, Sokolov, Kissin, Schiff, Ashkenazy, Argerich, Pogorelich and many other pianists. If we speak of the recent past, I believe that Richter, Gilels, Horowitz, A. Rubinstein, Cortot, Wührer and, Heinrich and Stanislav Neuhaus were incredible pianists and persons. But, if we include the whole of history, my favourite composer, pianist, and person, is S. Rachmaninoff, and I am truly grateful that I'm able to hear some of his recordings.
As for other specialities, I also enjoy musicians such as Rostropovich, Maisky, Capuçon, Volodos, Perman, Mehta, Gergiev, Svetlanov, Karajan or Kleiber.
My favourite composers are certainly Rachmaninoff and Chopin, after them, Scriabin, Tchaikovsky, Mahler, Lizst, Wagner, Scarlatti, Soler, Bach, Mozart, Beethoven, Schubert, Schumann, Mendelssohn, Chaminade, Ravel, Debussy, Bolodin, Heitor-Villalobos, Bartok, Grieg, Sibelius, Glimka, Balakirev, Smetana, Dvorák and Richard Strauss, are great composers, amongst many others.
I must say, as a Spanish musician, I feel a special connection with Albéniz, Falla, Granados, Turina, Tárrega or Sarasate, but I also adore music from the Spanish Renaissance, from Tomás Luis de Victoria (my favourite composer from the Renaissance, above Palestrina), Alonso Lobo, Francisco Guerrero, and many other great composers.
How do you approach interpreting a composer’s intentions while still bringing your personal voice to the piece?
When I approach a work, I try to understand what the author wants to convey and their style. From that style, I make my own variations. I strive to balance my personal voice with the composer’s intentions because, even if I like to compose music, or to “investigate” the scores, music must be a collaboration between the instrument, the interpreter, and the composer. If any constituent part fails, music does not work as it should.
Do you have a favorite piano brand or model? What qualities do you look for in an instrument?
I believe that there are many great pianos across various brands. I love Steinway & Sons, as well as Shigeru Kawai or Yamaha. However, there are brands I have not yet had the privilege of trying, such as Fazioli.
Do you experience stage fright, and if so, how do you handle it?
Fortunately, I do not experience stage fright or nerves, in fact, I feel calmer when the hall is very large and there is a big audience. I see the scenery as my home, not a place to feel uneasy. I am sharing what I love with people, not something I feel insecure or bad about.
What role does the piano play in your life beyond music?
The piano is the axis of my life. Therefore, most of my friends are musicians, and most of the time I am thinking and talking about music.
Can you share a bit about any upcoming projects, performances, or compositions you’re excited about?
This Friday, the 13th of December, 2024, I will play Beethoven’s “Concerto n⁰1 in C major, op 15” in the San Lorenzo de El Escorial Auditorium Theatre, Madrid, with the orchestra of my Conservatory (CIM Padre Antonio Soler). Additionally, I am near finishing a composition that is deeply related to Spain, and which has not been done before by other composers. I will continue my studies next year in Madrid or in Moscow, if all goes well.