Gijon International Piano Festival

So excited to invite everyone to a special event in New York City in March! We'll have a master class by the founder, a reception with yummy food and drink, and a concert with some truly special performers!!

Come celebrate with us!

Today, we had the privilege of learning from the captivating insights of Professor Logan Skelton. His philosophy on stylistic storytelling inspires our students every summer! Thank you to Yixin Shen, Max Hammond, and Gehan Zhang for your wonderful performances and responsiveness.

Our Executive Director Dr. Amy Gustafson gave a wonderful masterclass, sharing her teaching and guidance while helping students overcome musical and technical challenges. We enjoyed beautiful performances of Mozart’s Sonata in E-flat Major, K.282, Chopin’s Etude in F Major, Op. 10, No. 8, and Ginastera’s Piano Sonata No. 1, Op. 22. Bravo to our fantastic performers Lewei He, Bohan Jin, and Sam Goldfarb!

Our first student concert was such a huge success! Everyone played so beautifully!

Prof. Jean Saulnier from the University of Montreal gave us a deeply engaging masterclass today, full of nuance, detail, and musical depth. We were treated to remarkable performances of Scriabin Sonata No. 3, Beethoven Sonata, Op. 101, and Brahms Intermezzi, Op. 117, Nos. 1 & 2. It was an enriching and unforgettable afternoon of music-making and discovery. Many thanks to our wonderful performers James Wilson, Xiao-Ru Lin, and Kennis Ang.

Another session of our beloved technique workshop, this time led by our wonderful Artistic Director, Dr. Jose Ramon Mendez, together with Prof. Logan Skelton from the University of Michigan.

Prof. Douglas Humpherys from the Eastman School of Music gave us a truly fascinating masterclass, filled with his artistry, wisdom, and profound musical insight. His guidance opened new perspectives on interpretation, sound, culture, and style. We enjoyed outstanding performances of Dutilleux’s Piano Sonata, Prokofiev’s Sonata No. 7, and Rachmaninoff’s Sonata No. 2, presented by our wonderful students John Garo Lonergan, Hamilton Lau, and Jonah Kwek.

Dr. Oscar Colomina, Dean of the Queen Sofía School of Music, returned to our festival for the second time and delivered an eye-opening, thought-provoking, and truly inspiring lecture on Mozart’s Piano Sonata in A minor, K. 310. His insights brought new depth and perspective to this beloved masterpiece and helped us discover new ways of thinking about music.

Prof. Amy Lin from the Académie Supérieure and Conservatoire de Musique de Strasbourg, France, gave a remarkable masterclass on the German–Viennese tradition. Her insightful approach to pedaling, articulation, and dynamics was both meticulous and deeply inspiring. The class featured outstanding performances by our talented students:

Lingjia Zhang – Schubert: Impromptu in B-flat major, D. 935, No. 3

Zunlu Di – Beethoven: Piano Sonata in E major, Op. 109, III. Gesangvoll, mit innigster Empfindung

Lyra Rujie Zhao – Mozart: Piano Sonata No. 5 in G major, K. 283, I. Allegro

Prof. James Giles from Northwestern University gave an insightful and masterfully delivered masterclass featuring Schubert’s Drei Klavierstücke, D. 946, Chopin’s Piano Sonata No. 2, and Liszt’s Dante Sonata. The wonderful performers were Mariam Kopaleishvili, Sara Mouronte, and Seoyeon Park.

Our Artistic Director, Dr. Jose Ramon Mendez gave the first masterclass of the season—an inspiring, informative, and engaging event. The program included Schumann’s Carnaval, Rachmaninoff’s Sonata No. 2, and Brahms’s Sonata No. 3. Bravi to our outstanding students—Yundi Xu, Nikita Istratov, and Junhao Wang!

Our unique event at the festival—technique workshop. Students bring an excerpt or a phrase of the piece that they are having trouble with, and two of our faculty members work on the difficulty with the student. Always our favorite part of the festival! Today’s clinicians are Dr. Amy Gustafson and Prof. Jean Saulnier.