José Ramos Santana

José Ramos Santana

Piano

A native of Puerto Rico, Jose Ramos Santana is one of the most acclaimed pianists of his generation. He performs a wide and diverse repertoire while being an acknowledged master of Spanish Music.

Mr. Ramos Santana has appeared as a guest soloist with such major orchestras as the New York Philharmonic, Royal Philharmonic Orchestra of London, Detroit Symphony, Saint Louis Symphony, Baltimore Symphony, San Antonio Symphony, Rochester Philharmonic, 92nd Street Y Orchestra, The New York Virtuosi, Casals Festival Orchestra, Puerto Rico Symphony, and the orchestras of New Mexico, Sioux City, Utah, Syracuse among many others. Additional solo performances include the Moscow Philharmonic Latin-American tour, Orchestra of L’Hermitage of Saint Petersburg, Russia, and the orchestras of Guatemala, San Salvador, and the Orquesta de los Reyes, Lima, Peru. He has collaborated with distinguished musicians and conductors such as Krzsztoff Penderecki, John Adams, Dennis Russell Davies, Jerzy Semkow, Dimitri Kitaenko, Joseph Silverstein, cellist Arto Noras, violinist Gregory Zhislin, and pianist Vladimir Viardo.

Jose Ramos Santana’s much lauded guest appearance with the American Composers Orchestra at Carnegie Hall during the Sonidos de las Americas Festival was his third Carnegie Hall performance in one year. Mr. Ramos Santana has also performed at Zankel Hall and the Weill Recital Hall under the auspices of La Gesse Foundation

A top prize winner of the Gina Bachauer International Piano Competition and a participant in the Xerox Piano Artist’s Program he has appeared in music festivals such as Spoleto, Caramoor, Casals Festival, Grant Park Festival in Chicago, International Keyboard and Institute Festival (IKIF) at Mannes College, Washington International Piano Festival, Interamerican Music Festival in San Juan, Puerto Rico and the Amalfi Coast Music Festival in Italy.

His recital work has taken him to major venues throughout the United States, France, Germany, Italy, Switzerland, Spain, Central America and the Far East.

He has been featured in documentaries on the PBS network, A&E channel and CBS Sunday Morning.

 

 

 

Jose Ramos Santana’s world premiere recording of « Glosas » by Roberto Sierra with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, on the Fleur de Son Label received critical acclaim. Other works included in this CD are Ravel’s Piano Concerto in G and Saint- Saens Piano Concerto in g minor op. 22 He has recently recorded the complete works for piano and violin by the Spanish Catalonian composer Xavier Montsalvage with violinist Eva Leon on the Naxos Label.

As an active member of Musica de Camara, Inc., Mr. Ramos Santana has serves as jury member of the Kosciuszko Foundation Chopin Piano Competition, Liszt-Garrison International Piano Competition, Louisiana International Piano Competition and William Kapell International Piano Competition selecting jury.

Mr. Ramos Santana is a graduate of the Juilliard School where he studied with Adele Marcus, William Masselos and Sylvia Rabinof. He has also coached with Leon Fleisher and Alicia de Larrocha.

He is a member of the Piano faculty at The Catholic University of America in Washington, D.C.

Reviews:

 » powerful…Mr. Ramos Santana played with virtuosity and precision ». The New York Times.

« Jose Ramos Santana who established his career as an interpreter of Spanish Music is indeed extraordinary in his performance, which excites our desire to repeat this auditory experience ». Hong Kong Hi Fi Review magazine.

“The interpretation of Puerto Rican pianist Jose Ramos Santana was brilliant in the many virtuoso passages …. His solid technique was reflected in precise and flawless execution”. El Nuevo Dia.