"A sensitive pianist, with a sharp musical sense" - EL PAÍS

Described as a pianist with “a sound display that captivates the listener” (Melómano), Alex Alguacil is praised by critics and specialized press for his “interpretative maturity” (Scherzo), his “sharp musical sense” (El País), while highlighting him as an “intelligent musician” (La Vanguardia). A musician with a considerable international career, his performances have taken him to important stages in North America and Japan. In his debut with an orchestra in Spain, he was described as a “brilliant pianist” (El País) and his presentation recital at Carnegie Hall in New York was recognized as “one of the most outstanding recitals of the season” (New York Concert Review Magazine).

In Spain, he performs regularly in auditoriums and seasons. He has been invited to festivals such as the Torroella de Montgrí Festival, the Soriano Musical Autumn Festival, the Sitges International Festival, the Girona Classical Nights, and the Burgos Musical Summer, among others, and has been a soloist with orchestras such as the Castilla y León Symphony Orchestra and the Vallés Symphony Orchestra, among others. In 2006, he was invited to give his first piano recital in the newly inaugurated Oriol Martorell Hall of the Barcelona Auditorium, and in May of the following year, he made his debut in the Barcelona Symphony Orchestra's concert season, performing Sergei Prokofiev's Piano Concerto No. 3.

In the United States, he made his debut at New York's Carnegie Hall in 2008, a recital that was critically acclaimed and opened the doors for him to other important venues in the city, such as Cami Hall and Merkin Hall at Lincoln Center. He has also performed in various cities across the country, including Chicago, Philadelphia, and Portland, and has been a soloist with orchestras such as the Bergen Philharmonic Orchestra and the Vancouver Symphony Orchestra. Some of his performances have been broadcast live on major stations such as WQXR in New York and WFMT in Chicago.

In 2003, he made his debut at the Palau de la Música Catalana with D. Shostakovich's First Piano Concerto with the Vallés Symphony Orchestra. Pianist Alicia De Larrocha, who was present at the concert, was delighted with his performance and agreed to provide artistic advice, establishing a relationship that would last for several years, giving him the opportunity to work with her on the repertoire of Spanish composers.

Committed to contemporary creation, Alex Alguacil frequently programs and premieres works by contemporary composers, many of them written and/or dedicated to himself. His most notable premieres includePiano Sonata by Salvador Brotons, released in Chicago; Fantasy in Red, by Jesús Rodríguez Picó, premiered in New York;Caresses cap el Blanc, by Hèctor Parra, premiered in Girona; Echoes, Toccata for piano and orchestra, by Xavier Pagès, released in Tarragona with the OBC or Scenes, by Marcos Fernández-Barrero, premiered at the Palau de la Música Catalana.

His recordings have been widely praised by audiences and critics. His most recent album,Granados: The Majos in Love & other works from Goyescas (Solfa Recordings, 2024), has been defined as "A bold and revealing proposal that offers a new perspective on Granados' work without renouncing the Spanish interpretive tradition" (Melómano). His album Piano Serenade, (Aglae Música, 2022) dedicated to the piano music of Richard Strauss, has been praised as “an immense and massive work that stands as a space of sound utopia” (Nosolocine), with a sound display that captivates the listener (Melómano).

His recording dedicated to the music of Sergei Prokofiev was praised as “An album full of attractions, with a fast-paced articulation and rhythm, with a wild touch in the interpretation of Prokofiev's Sonata No. 6, with an “exquisite performance” of Fugitive Visions (Scherzo Magazine). Also, his album The complete piano works of Salvador Brotons (Columna 2013) has been described as “A true discovery for those who love music full of spirit and truth” (El arte de la fuga, Andrés Ruiz Tarazona).

Alex Alguacil completed his studies at the Barcelona Conservatory of Music with honors and a unanimous honors award, and subsequently at the Manhattan School of Music in New York. He has won first prize in various national and international competitions, including the Ricard Viñes International Piano Competition in Lleida and the Stone International Piano Competition in New York, among others.

He has been invited to serve on the juries of competitions such as the Yamaha Foundation of Europe Competition and the Ricard Viñes International Piano Competition. He has been invited to give masterclasses at conservatories in Spain and at foreign universities such as Columbia College in Chicago and the Tokyo College of Music in Japan, where he frequently attends as a guest professor. He is currently a piano professor at the Liceu Conservatory of Music in Barcelona.

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