What sparked your initial interest in the piano, and how did your journey as a pianist begin?
Music has always been a part of my home, as my parents are always listening to it. My mother enjoys bands like The Police, Dire Straits, Queen, and so on, while my father leans more toward jazz and similar genres. Although they are not musicians, there has always been a musical atmosphere in my house. So, when I was 8 years old, I decided to learn piano. It was an idea I had, and without thinking twice, I started. I’m originally from Sueca, a small town on the coast of Valencia, Spain, and I enrolled in the local music school. My first teachers were very kind and always encouraged me to do more and more. That same summer, at the age of 9, I began composing my first pieces. They were very small works, fitting for a child of that age. From there, I kept writing little by little until 2018, when I premiered my first serious piece: my Piano Sonata in C Minor, Op. 2, at the Ateneo Mercantil in Valencia.
How has playing the piano shaped your personality or outlook on life?
Music, as I mentioned earlier, has always been present in my life. However, it became even more central when I started my music studies. I can’t go a single day without being in direct or indirect contact with music. It’s impossible. There’s always a melody running through my head, a piece I want to learn, or a composer I want to discover. I’ll get home, open my computer to research their life, dive in, download thousands of their scores, and immerse myself in learning their music. Or simply, there are days when I feel a certain way and know that a specific piece or melody will perfectly accompany my mood. Living without music is impossible—at least for me.
How do you approach your daily practice routine, and what do you prioritize?
My practice routine revolves around daily objectives, whether it’s fixing a passage that isn’t working, sight-reading a new piece, or shaping a phrase or section of a composition. This applies to my piano practice, but every day, just as I dedicate time to studying the instrument, I also compose and study counterpoint daily. Without daily counterpoint practice, I wouldn’t be able to write music.
I also devote part of my study time, or daily work, to solfège. I believe it’s important not to focus exclusively on the instrument. Solfège and singing, in themselves, are fundamental to studying any piece of music. After all, whether we play piano, violin, clarinet, or any other instrument, we are making music. That is something we all have in common. Therefore, my study routine isn’t really focused on just one thing. Instead, I prefer to take a more well- rounded approach, aiming to create music in its fullest sense.
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?
Fundamentally, the artists who have inspired me the most are my teachers, all of whom are role models. Josu de Solaun, Vicente Chuliá, and Don Salvador Chuliá— teachers of piano, conducting, and composition, respectively. They are the ones who have inspired and helped me the most, and to whom I am the most grateful given all that they have taught me, truly forming me into the musician I am today. On the other hand, my favorite composers are Brahms and Schumann— I can’t choose just one. If I had to, my life would feel incomplete. Additionally, Chopin holds a very special place in my heart that no other composer has come close to. It’s something so special and unique… his music and his world. Finally, I must mention Bach and Beethoven, figures who have had a fundamental influence on my music and in everything that shapes me as a musician.
How do you approach interpreting a composer’s intentions while still bringing your personal voice to the piece?
We really can’t know for certain the intentions of a composer when writing a piece, although many times we can guess them. But we must not forget that we are the ones interpreting the piece, and each of us brings a personal contribution to it. Music is written into it, and it is wonderful, beautiful, and above all, perfect in all musical works. That is the common thread in every piece of music. However, it is us musicians who must add our small personal touch to that perfect amount of music— always making music, of course. In my opinion, imitating certain artists when interpreting a work is a mistake, because like every person who has ever lived on this planet, they are unique and unrepeatable. Therefore, I think it’s very important for musicians to add their own personal flair when interpreting a piece.
Do you have a favorite piano brand or model? What qualities do you look for in an instrument?
Well, it really depends on the music being played. For example, for my own music, I have always preferred and dreamed of playing on a Bechstein for its unique color, sensitivity and charisma. But for instance, if I have to play Chopin, then I would prefer a Shigeru Kawai— for the same reason: it’s unique. As for the characteristics I look for in an instrument, they are quite simple. I seek an instrument that makes music. I don’t care about the brand, the model, or anything like that. If it’s well-balanced instrument with a good bass register and, above all, capable of singing or imitating an orchestral sound— for me, that instrument is perfect.
Is there a dream piece, venue, or collaboration you hope to achieve?
Well, to be honest, my greatest dream is for my music to reach as many people as possible, and for those people, when they listen to it, to feel the same way I do when I play it or compose it. My goal in producing a piece of music is to be able to transmit these same feelings onto my audience.
What is one piece that holds special meaning to you, and why?
There are really many pieces that are very special to me… I couldn’t say just one. But I can say that one of the pieces that has always touched my heart deeply is the “Four Serious Songs, Op.121” by Johannes Brahms. It is one of his last works, and it is written for voice and piano. I can’t describe in words what I feel every time I listen to them. In fact, there is a wonderful transcription for solo piano by Max Reger, a composer and great organist not as well known as the great Brahms, but who has incredible music, and whom I admire deeply from the bottom of my heart. I enjoy playing that transcription so much, because it is also completely faithful to what Brahms wrote in the original.
Can you share a bit about any upcoming projects, performances, or compositions you’re excited about?
Lately, I’ve been composing a couple of chamber music works (a sonata for violin and another for cello, both with piano). I just finished my 4th piano sonata, and if there’s one thing I would like for 2025, it’s to compose a piano concerto with orchestra and, hopefully, premiere it. On the other hand, I’m also gradually learning orchestral conducting, which really fascinates me. Personally, my greatest joy has always been and will always be making music and sharing it. You can never fully explain music with words— you have to experience it, to get carried away by the emotions that arise when you listen to it. It is such a beautiful and inexplicable thing.