Classical piano in Cuba
After its arrival in Cuba at the end of the 18th century, the pianoforte (commonly called piano) rapidly became one of the favorite instruments among the Cuban population.
Encouraged by the warm welcome, Edelmann decided to stay in Havana and very soon he was promoted to an important position within the Santa Cecilia Philharmonic Society.
After his return to Cuba in 1848, he dedicated himself to teaching and had several important disciples such as: Nicolás Ruiz Espadero (1832-1890), his daughter Cecilia Aristi (1856-1930) and Angelina Sicouret (1880-1945).
Ignacio Cervantes is considered one of the greatest composers of his country, and his Cuban Dances for piano are an outstanding contribution to the island's cultural patrimony.
She taught the first music lessons to her famous brother Ernesto Lecuona and was also the grandmother of the prestigious composer and guitarist Leo Brouwer.
[17] One of the most prestigious Cuban musicians, Ernesto Lecuona (1895–1963) began studying piano with his sister Ernestina and continued with Peyrellade, Saavedra, Nin and Hubert de Blanck.
[17] There were three important professors that made an outstanding effort, from the beginning to the middle of the 20th century, toward the implementation of the highest standards in the academic formation of piano performers.
[18] César Pérez Sentenat began to study piano in 1913 with Hubert de Blanck, Rafaela Serrano and Antonio Saavedra, and music theory with José Molina.
[citation needed] In 1931, he founded the Escuela Normal de Música along with composer Amadeo Roldán, where he expanded the courses and organized a night school.
[20] Dulce María Serret was born in Santiago de Cuba, in 1898, and began studying music with Gustavo Rogel and Ramón Figueroa.
[22] Other notable pianists that began their careers during the Cuban Pre-Revolutionary period (1900–1959) are Zenaida Manfugás, Enma Badía Fontanals, Esther Ferrer, Ñola Sahig, Luis González Rojas, Huberal Herrera, Silvio Rodríguez Cárdenas and Rosario Franco.
[23] One of the most accomplished Cuban pianists of the 20th century, Ivette Hernández (born 1933) gave a piano recital at seven years of age at the University of Havana.
A partial list may include the following: Karelia Escalante, Nancy Casanova, Cecilio Tieles Ferrer, Jorge Gómez Labraña, Ninowska Fernández-Brito, Frank Fernández, Teresita Junco and Hilda Melis.
[25] The following generation of pianists, mostly formed at the National School of Arts and the Conservatorio Amadeo Roldán include: Alberto Joya, Roberto Urbay, Martha Marchena, Jorge Luis Prats, Esther Sanz and Ileana Bautista, among others.
One of his most important musical achievements has been a consistent research, performance and recording of the Cuban piano repertoire that include a long list of composers such as: Manuel Saumell, Ignacio Cervantes, Ernesto Lecuona, Alejandro García Caturla, Harold Gramatges, José Ardévol, Edgardo Martín, Hilario González, Fabio Landa, Leo Brouwer, Carlos Fariñas, Héctor Angulo, Roberto Valera, Carlos Malcolm, Armando Rodríguez Ruidíaz and Juan Piñera.
[26] One of the most prominent pianists from the younger generations, Jorge Luis Prats (1956) studied at the National School of Arts with Margot Rojas and graduated in 1976.
Prats continued studies with Frank Fernández, and in 1977 he won the Piano Grand Prix at the Margueritte Long-Jacques Thibaud Contest in Paris.
In 1979, Jorge Luis Prats was awarded the gold medal at the Katia Popova Music Festival of Winning Contestants in Pleven, Bulgaria.
In this group was Horacio Gutiérrez (born 1950), who played at just eleven years old with the Havana Symphony Orchestra and moved to Los Angeles with his family in 1962.
Rodríguez has enjoyed a very successful performing and recording career and is currently the Chair of the Keyboard Department at the University of Miami's Frost School of Music.
After receiving her Artist Diploma at Curtis, she earned a doctorate from Québec's Laval University, where she also served as associate professor and Department Head of Chamber Music.
