Photograph of Jose Ramon Mendez- pianist

José Ramón Méndez

"He will bring back the memory of many talents
which we knew during the golden age."
El Pais - Montevideo, Uruguay


Hailed as "the Spanish pianist of his generation" by Hoja del Lunes-Madrid, José Ramón Méndez one of the most exciting young artists on the concert scene today. He has won top prizes in several international competitions, including Pilar Bayona International Piano Competition, Hilton Head Island International Piano Competition, Hermanos Guerrero International Piano Competition, and the Frédéric Chopin Piano Competition in New York. He has performed in numerous music festivals, which have included Caramoor, Barge Music Series, Festival Internacional de Piano de las Islas Canarias, Quincena Musical de San Sebastian and the Santander International Music Festival and has been a soloist with the Bergen Philharmonic, Moscow Virtuosi, the Television and Radio Orchestra of Spain, the Banda Sinfonica de Madrid, Hillbrum Philharmonic, Orquesta Sinfonica de Asturias, the New Millennium Orchestra, and Manhattan Virtuosi. As a collaborative artist he has performed with such distinguished artists as Karl Leister, Itzhak Perlman, Michael Tree and Pinchas Zukerman.

Méndez received his B.M., M.M., Professional Studies Certificate and D.M.A. from Manhattan School of Music after already earning the highest degree, "Superior Professor of Piano" in his native Spain. His major teachers have been Miyoko Nakaya Lotto, Byron Janis, Solomon Mikowsky, Jesus Gonzalez, Agustin Fuster, and his own father Ramon Mendez Cangas, his first teacher. Méndez has also profited from the advice of Joaquin Achucarro, Dmitri Bashkirov, Janina Fialkowska Eugene Istomin, Vitaly Margulis, Lev Naumov, Menahem Pressler, Piere Reach, András Schiff, and especially Krystian Zimerman.

Currently, he is a member of he artist piano faculty of New York University. He has also taught as a guest professor at the Truan Music School and frequently conducts master classes in Spain at the conservatories in Lugo, Las Palmas, and Santiago de Compostela. Upcoming appearances include concerts in Europe and solo recitals around the United States.