2025-26 Program Book - Other - Page 46
Leonel Morales
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In October 2008, he received the prestigious “Tasto D’Argento 2008” award
(Alexandria, Italy) for his consolidated international career. He displayed his
exceptional talents in concerts across the United States with the National
Orchestra of Spain, National Orchestra of Mexico, throughout Germany with the
Valencia Symphony Orchestra and the Hamburg Symphony Orchestra.
He is invited to be a part of the jury in important international piano competitions
such as the China Shenzhen International Piano and Orchestra Competition
(China), Cleveland Competition, Ettore Pozzoli Competition, Scriabin Competition
(Grosseto), Lyon Competition, Valsecia Competition, Cesar Franck Competition,
Pancho Vladigerov Competition, UNISA (South Africa), Santa Cecilia Competition
(Oporto), Shenzhen Competition, Clara Schumann Competition, Rio de Janeiro
Competition, Epinal Competition, Cantú Competition, Rina Sala Galo Competition
(Monza), Russian Composer Competition (San Remo), Ciudade de Ferrol
Competition, J. Brahms Competition (Vienna), Seiler Piano Open Competition
Tsingtao, and International Youth Piano Competition (Shanghai), among others.
Leonel Morales’s class is considered one of the strongest and highest level in
Spain, with his students winning over 50 national and international awards each
year, competitions such as José Iturbi, UNISA, Hummel, Epinal, Paderewski,
Sommerakademie Salzburg, Lyon, Santa Cecilia (Oporto), CSIPCC Shenzhen,
Ferrol being some of the competitions won by his students.
Morales conducts masterclasses all over the world in places such as the Mozarteum
in Salzburg, Korea, Italy, Mexico, France, Belgium, China, Japan, Italy, Poland,
Croatia, USA, Belgium, Germany, and France, etc. More than 60 pianists from all
over the world come to his International Masterclass and Piano Festival in Granada
(Leonel Morales & Friends) held every year in July.
In the interpretation of Beethoven’s 32 sonatas, Morales has been called by critics
one of the best interpreters of this brilliant composer.
During his tours in the USA with the National Symphony Orchestra of Spain and the
State Symphony Orchestra of Mexico organized by Columbia Artists, he had the
opportunity to perform in the most important venues in North America, including
Carnegie Hall, the Kennedy Center, the Lincoln Center, David Geffen Hall, and Alice
Tully Hall, receiving great success with critics and audiences.
Once again in 2010, the critic named him “the hero” on the concert tour in
Germany in venues such as “Beethovensaal” in Stuttgart, “BASF-Feierabendhaus”
in Ludwigshafen with the Valencia Symphony Orchestra playing F. Chopin’s
Concerto No. 1. Morales’s skill and virtuosity have often been demonstrated during
his concerts with orchestras around the world.
46 CLASSICAL SERIES BRAHMS & ELLINGTON
