Described as “an artist with a polished sound and tremendous constructive power” and hailed by the Hoja del Lunes de Madrid, as “the Spanish pianist of his generation,” Jose Ramon Mendez is one of the most exciting Spanish pianists on the concert scene today.
Dr. Mendez received his first music instruction from his father, and by the age of seven was already performing on Spanish television and radio stations. He first gained international recognition when he performed Liszt’s first piano concerto under the direction of Sergiu Commissiona at the Concertgebouw in Amsterdam. Since then, he has concertized extensively in his native Spain, the United States, Italy, England, Portugal, Holland and Japan to great acclaim. With his poetic performance expression, intellect, and masterful technique, he has been praised by critics and celebrated by audiences around the world.
At the age of 18, Mendez’s success brought him to the United States, where he began his studies Solomon Mikowsky. He completed a Docorate of Musical Arts under the tutelage of the legendary pianist Byron Janis, a pupil of Horowitz and Miyoko Lotto. During his stay in New York, he won top prizes in many competitions including the Pilar Bayona International Piano Competition, the Hilton Head Island International Piano Competition, the Frederick Chopin Competition in New York, and the Hermanos Guerrero International Piano Competition, among others.
Dr. Mendez has been a guest performer at many music festivals, including the Caramoor Festival, the Barge Music Series, the Festival Internacional de Piano de las Islas Canarias, and the Santander International Music Festival to name a few. As a chamber musician, Dr. Mendez has collaborated with such distinguished artists as Karl Leister, Itzhak Perlman, Michael Tree and Pinchas Zukerman.
Dr. Mendez’s professional teaching career began in 1996, when he was invited to teach master classes at the Gijon School of Music. He gave master classes at the Lugo Professional Conservatory of Music in 1999 and more recently, at the Aviles Conservatory and the Santiago Conservatory.
In the summers of 1996 and 1997, Dr. Mendez taught at the Perlman Music Program, a program for gifted young musicians founded by Itzhak Perlman. There he served as Assistant to (NYU Steinhardt) Professor Miyoko N. Lotto, teaching piano and coaching chamber music groups. Dr. Mendez moved to a full-time faculty position at The University of Texas at Austin. He left his Texas faculty position to join the piano faculty at NYU Steinhardt in Spring, 2007.