- country:Spain
- region:Madrid
- style(s):Romantic Period, 20th Century
- label:Odradek Records
- type:Solo
- gender:male
- instrumentation:piano
- artist posted by:Odradek Records
Line up
- José Menor (piano)
Links
Jose Menor was hailed as 'one of the most outstanding Spanish pianists of the new generation' after his Wigmore Hall solo recital debut: 'superb recital (...) a performance of gripping power and evocative colouring' (The Daily Telegraph, Geoffrey Norris).
His 2009 debut with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra (RPO) in London was highly acclaimed by the international press, on the celebration of Isaac Albeniz's Anniversary with a performance of Concierto Fantastico, which has almost become Jose's signature piece after giving premieres and performances on several countries. The Concierto alsogives name to a documentary movie, broadcasted several times on the Spanish TV, featuring Jose's performances of it on his 2010 Polish tour.
Jose made his international debut at age fifteen, performing at New York's Carnegie Hall as a First Prize winner of Cincinnati's 'The World Piano Competition', which was followed by top prizes and awards at several different piano competitions (including YCAT in London or Vina del Mar in Chile). His 1996 debut at the Palau de la Musica Catalana in Barcelona after winning First Prize on the 'El Primer Palau' series - was the beginning of a continuous concert career as a soloist, appearing with major orchestras in Spain, together with orchestras in Europe, USA and Latin America. Recent highlights have included a TV-broadcasted performance of Rachmaninoff concerto no. 1 with the RTVE Orchestra and Alexander Markevich, and the premiere of Albeniz's Concierto Fantastico in the whole American continent, with the 'Orquesta Sinfonica de Xalapa' in Mexico.
Last season's commitments included concerti with the 'Joven Orquestra Nacional de Catalunya', JONC (Barcelona, Spain); Redlands Symphony Orchestra (California, USA); the 'Orchestra da Camera' (Birmingham, UK); the 'Orquesta Simfonica del Valles' (OSV) at the Palau de la Musica in Barcelona; with the Montevideo Philharmonic in Uruguay; and with several orchestras in Poland -Wroclaw Philharmonic, 'Filharmonia Pomorska' in Bydgoszcz; among other engagements. Furthermore, Jose often appears internationally as a solo recitalist, touring several countries (tours in Spain, Germany, Latin America, USA, UK). His live performances have been recorded and broadcasted by different media including TVE (Spanish TV), TV3, CNN, RNE (Spanish National Radio), Catalunya Musica, and has performed live on BBC Radio 3 (In Tune), Radio Canada, ABC Classic FM Australia, WXEL (USA), among others.
Commitments for 2012/2013 include performances as a soloist with the Landeskapelle Eisenach (Germany, January 2012), playing Mozart concerto K 537, and appearances at the monographic 'Carta Blanca' series, dedicated to important contemporary Spanish composer Joan Guinjoan, performing the opening solo recital at the Juan March Foundation in Madrid, Spain (February 2012), and the closing chamber music recital at the National Auditorium with members of the Spanish National Orchestra (ONE) also in Madrid (March 2012). Other solo recitals include Palau de la Musica Catalana in Barcelona (January 2013), and appearances in several series in the USA, both as a recitalist and in concerti, performing Rhapsody in Blue with the Dallas Brass group (March 2012).
Jose maintains a close working relationship for years with renowned Spanish composer Joan Guinjoan, and is the first pianist to have recorded his complete solo piano works. The first CD was released under the Columna Musica label in May 2010 and the second volume will be released in 2012.
Jose is also an avid chamber musician and his collaborations include appearances with Ransom Wilson, Istvan Vardai, Dai Miyata, Peijun Xu, Alexander Sitkovetsky, Timothy Cobb, among others. He is a regular collaborator of Kronberg Academy in the United States, performing recitals and broadcasts with several string players as part of the AFKA program.
Jose Menor was born in Barcelona, Spain, and studied piano, composition and conducting at the 'Conservatorio Superior Municipal de Musica de Barcelona'. After that he completed his Masters degree a full-scholarship student at the Royal College of Music in London and his Artist Diploma at the Yale University School of Music, studying with Peter Frankl and Claude Frank. Jose has received further instruction at the Aspen Music Festival (working with Ann Schein), and also from renowned musicians such as Emanuel Ax, Stephen Hough, Richard Goode, Cristina Ortiz or Joaquin Achucarro.