Joaquín Achúcarro

Joaquín Achúcarro (born November 1, 1932) is a

Biography and career

Achúcarro was born in Bilbao, Spain, and grew up in the difficult years of the Spanish post-war period. He began piano lessons at the Bilbao Conservatory and in 1946, at the age of 13, made his concerto debut in Bilbao playing a Mozart concerto with a local orchestra.^[1] As a teenager, he moved to Madrid to study for a degree in physics, although soon after his graduation he devoted himself totally to the study of music and moved to Siena, Italy to study at the Accademia Musicale Chigiana.^[2] He also had lessons with José Cubiles.

In 1959 he won the 4th prize of the Ferruccio Busoni International Piano Competition.^[3] The same year his career was launched after his victory at the Liverpool International Competition, which led to his debut with the London Symphony Orchestra.^[4]

He has since worked in 58 countries, with 206 orchestras including some of the finest ensembles, such as the

Sir Simon Rattle.^[4]

Achucarro's style is characterized by a poetic sound with clean technique that is not flamboyant. Achucarro is celebrated for his interpretations of Brahms, Rachmaninoff, and Ravel as well as several Spanish composers.[5]

Since the mid-1980s, he has been a professor at the Meadows School of the Arts of the Southern Methodist University in Texas, United States.^[2]^[4]

Achúcarro has recorded over 30 albums for various labels.

In 1996 he was knighted by

King Juan Carlos with the Gold Medal of Fine Arts.^[2]

References

^ "Bilbao" (in Spanish). Ritmo. Retrieved 30 May 2017.
^ ^a ^b ^c "Joaquin Achucarro". Herbert Barrett Management. Archived from the original on 21 February 2009. Retrieved 9 August 2009.
^ "Historical Background". International Piano Competition Foundation Ferruccio Busoni Bolzano Bozen. Archived from the original on 14 November 2009. Retrieved 15 August 2009.
^ ^a ^b ^c "Joaquin Achucarro, pianist". Retrieved 9 August 2009.
^ Laura Pita. "Achúcarro, Joaquín." Grove Music Online. Oxford Music Online. Oxford University Press, accessed October 10, 2014, http://www.oxfordmusiconline.com/subscriber/article/grove/music/A2092795.