Josu de Solaun Comes To South Florida - One Of The Most Impressive Discoveries Of The Past Decade & Other Talents This November

In the 2023 edition, the ICMA jury expressed: "Josu de Solaun is one of the most impressive discoveries of the past decade. Not only is he a technically impressive Pianist, but his interpretative imagination also knows no limits. His interpretations ideally reflect de Solaun's ability to engage with works symbiotically and at the highest energy levels. Free of aesthetic dogmas, the pianist creates cosmoses of a solitary nature."

He is also the sole Spanish Pianist to win first prizes at the José Iturbi (2006) and George Enescu (2014) International Piano Competitions since their inception in 1980 and 1958, respectively. Esteemed pianists like Elisabeth Leonskaja (1964) and Radu Lupu (1967) have previously won the Enescu Competition.

In 2019, President of Romania, Klaus Iohannis appointed him Officer of the Order of the Cultural Merit of the Republic of Romania, acknowledging his artistic work and promotion of George Enescu’s music—whose complete works for piano he recorded under the NAXOS label—and Romanian musical culture globally.

Josu, trained by Salvador Chuliá and Pianists María Teresa Naranjo and Ana Guijarro in Spain, later studied in New York under Pianists Nina Svetlanova and Horacio Gutiérrez, enabling him to exhibit his musical artistry in various forms. Further studies in New York included composition with Giampaolo Bracali and conducting with Robert Isaacs and David Gilbert, along with chamber music with Robert Mann (Juilliard Quartet) and Isidore Cohen (Beaux Arts Trio).

Jessica Duchen of BBC Music Magazine praised: "de Solaun allows the expression to lead at all times, no matter how intense the virtuosity. There is always an elastic vitality in his interpretations, a warm and intimate approach to his phrasing and a beautiful, sweet tone."

Justo Romero in Scherzo declared: "It is difficult to imagine a more powerful and creative pianism. de Solaun is one of the most interesting virtuosos of the contemporary keyboard. Spanish and non-Spanish. A vigorous, wise pianism, of refined workmanship and great musicality. We are before a true colossus of the piano, a true virtuoso, in the old style, who makes use of his resplendent technique and the extroverted dramatic, his strong artistic nature to conjugate versions that combine brilliance and effusiveness, fire and delicacy, always with an intense pianistic foundation, all with naturalness, strength, power, sonorous opulence and intense expressive sense."

Josu has performed with orchestras including the Orquesta Nacional de España, Orquesta de la RTVE, Orchestra of the Mariinsky Theatre, Rudolf Barshai Chamber Orchestra of Moscow, RTE Orchestra of Dublin, National Symphony Orchestra of Colombia, Philharmonic Orchestra of Mexico City, Orchestra of the Fenice of Venice, George Enescu Philharmonic Orchestra of Bucharest, Bucharest Radio Orchestra, Radio Orchestra of Prague, and nearly all Spanish orchestras, working with conductors like Giancarlo Guerrero, Justus Frantz, Rumon Gamba, JoAnn Falletta, Constantine Orbelian, Christian Badea, Paul Daniel, Enrique García Asensio, Jean-Claude Casadesus, Laurence Equilbey, Rossen Milanov, Yaron Traub, Alexis Soriano, Jonathan Pasternack, Miguel Ángel Gómez Martínez, and Ramón Tebar.

Living in Manhattan, New York from 1999 to 2019, Josu graduated from the Manhattan School of Music (1999-2011) and later taught piano at Sam Houston State University (2014-2018). Since February 2020, he has lived in Madrid with his family.

He recently premiered his "Concertino Breve" (2023) for piano and string orchestra in Klaipeda, Lithuania, conducted by Alexis Soriano-Monstavicius. In August 2023, he recorded Prokofiev's Concerto No. 2 and Rachmaninov's Concerto No. 3 with the Orquesta Sinfónica de Castilla y León for the IBS Classical label. Soon, he'll release a CD featuring Strauss’s Burlesque, as well as Liszt's two Piano Concertos and Totentanz, with the Moravian Philharmonic Orchestra, conducted by Jonathan Pasternack, on ARIA Classics.

Teaching piano at Escuela Superior Musical Arts Madrid (MAM), he nurtures a handful of students and exercises his profound pedagogical vocation.

On Sunday, November 17th at 5:00 p.m., Miami International Piano Festival will present Josu de Solaun in South Florida. Not only is he a technically impressive pianist, but his interpretative imagination also knows no limits." In August 2023, he recorded Prokofiev's Concerto No. 2 and Rachmaninov's Concerto No. 3. Additional critical acclaim includes recognition from Nikolaus Frey (Fuldaer Zeitung) for his "poetic sense of sound, bold artistic vision, and brilliant virtuoso skills, always and totally at the service of the works he performs."

Back by Popular Demand

“It’s Yesterday Once More” when Debbie Taylor and her seven-piece band bring the unforgettable, exquisite music of The Carpenters in this return engagement. After selling out this concert six times, Top of the World: A Carpenters Tribute featuring Debbie Taylor returns to the Aventura Arts & Cultural Center on Saturday, November 23rd at 8:00 p.m. Exclusive for this year, this program will include all the classic Carpenters hits plus holiday favorites to kick the season off early. This very talented and accomplished group of musicians brings to life the most authentic versions of the songs. The warmth and tone of Debbie's vocals are so reminiscent of Karen Carpenter, audiences will think they're listening to Karen herself. The ensemble performs many memorable hits like "We've Only Just Begun," "Close to You" and "Rainy Days and Mondays" and is a must see for any and all Carpenters fans. The show sold out in 2017, 2018, 2019, 2021, 2022 and 2023 so fans should order their tickets now.

Tickets to all shows are on sale now. Ticketmaster is the only official ticketing service of the Aventura Arts & Cultural Center. Buy tickets online at: www.aventuracenter.org - By phone at: (877) 311-7469. Or: (954) 462-0222. Or in person at the Aventura Arts & Cultural Center box office Wednesday through Saturday from 12:00 p.m. Noon to 5:00 p.m. and 90 minutes prior to each performance. For Group Sales, please call: (954) 660-6307.

The Aventura Arts & Cultural Center is located at 3385 Northeast 188th Street, Aventura, Florida 33180. Join the conversation, Twitter, Facebook, Instagram @aventuracenter or #aventuracenter.

The Broward Center for the Performing Arts manages the Aventura Arts & Cultural Center, a 14,864-Square-Foot, 330-seat Waterfront Complex that hosts performing arts, cultural and educational programming for all ages.