Antonio Oyarzabal was born in Bilbao in 1989. He started studying piano with Sor Cecilia Keller and continued with Guadalupe López completing high school with Honors and obtaining the highest grade in piano. Later, he entered in Musikene, in San Sebastian. At this school he obtained his Bachelor degree mentored by pianists Marta Zabaleta and Miguel Borges, and trained in contemporary piano repertoire with Ricardo Descalzo. Antonio also completed a harpsichord Diploma degree wit Honors, training with Loreto F. Imaz. He also studied with pianist Denis Pascal and the Armenian master Anahit Simonian, with whom he has trained in piano improvisation.
Antonio is a Master Graduate as a piano soloist at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama in London, where he is now part of the exclusive programme Artist Diploma, studying with Caroline Palmer. Antonio is a versatile pianist that combines performing as a soloist, as well as chamber music and orchestral piano.
As an orchestral pianist, Antonio is very experienced and has recently been named the pianist of London Philarmonic Orchestra, Foyle Future Firsts programme 2016/2017.He works on orchestral repertoire with LSO and LPO players, Catherine Edwards, Liz Burley and John Alley. Recently, he has performed Mahler Symphony 4 (arranged by Klaus Simon) with LPO members at the RFH, conducted by Vladimir Jurowski. He has also performed with Basque Country Symphony Orchestra in a programme including Petrushka by Stravinsky. Antonio has been named Principal Keyboard of the Gustav Mahler Jugendorchester in 2014 and 2015. He has also performed with Southbank Sinfonia, The University of London Symphony Orchestra in London, Guildhall School Symphony Orchestra; and the European Union Youth Orchestra (2014). Antonio is the Principal Keyboard of the Young Musicians Symphony Orchestra since 2012 and he has played several times with, Basque Country Youth Orchestra, and with the various symphonic groups of Musikene, etc. Antonio has worked with many conductors, such as Vladimir Jurowski, Vasily Petrenko, Vladimir Ashkenazy, David Afkham, Jun Märkl, Peter Stark, John Wilson, Leo McFall, James Blair, Juan José Ocón, Pierre Cao etc. With these different orchestras, Antonio has performed in venues such as Royal Albert Hall Proms 2014, Casino Kursaal in Interlaken, Auditorio Nacional de Madrid, Fundaçao Gulbekian in Lisbon, Philarmonie Gasteig in Munich, Philarmonie Kasel, Grafenegg Auditorium, Barbican Hall, St John Smith Square, Royal Albert Hall and Royal Festival Hall in London.
As a chamber music pianist, Antonio has recently made his debut in Barbican Hall performing Webern piano quintet for a pre-LSO performance. He is one of the founder members of Trisquel Arts Ensemble, with which he had been playing in different recitals since 2013, both in the UK and abroad. Together with Trisquel Arts, Antonio has taken part in a pedagogical proyect with the Decoda Ensemble from US. His experience also includes playing with different Spanish ensembles at the Euskalduna Palace in Bilbao, Fundación Botín in Santander, Sala Kutxa in San Sebastián, and at the Quincena Musical Festival in San Sebastián, 2010. Very recently, Antonio has performed Mozart Kegelstatt Trio together with LSO Principal clarinet Andrew Marriner.
As a soloist, he recently played Mozart Piano Concerto nº23 with Aldwych Sinfonia in London. He has also played Ravel Concerto in G and Mozart 9th Piano Concerto with JOL in Spain. Other experiences include Bach Concerto for two harpsichords and orchestra in C minor, and Poulenc Concerto for two pianos and orchestra with Musikene Symphony Orchestra. Antonio has also performed Gershwin Rhapsody in Blue with European Union Youth Orchestra in Grafenegg, Austria.
As a singer accompanist, Antonio frequently works with different singers. He often performs with mezzo Chlöe Schaaf, with whom he has performed at the Leeds Lieder Festival, Song in the City Festival in London and in Academia Marshall, Barcelona, among other venues. With soprano Mirjam Mesak, Antonio has performed at the Westminster Cathedral in London and they have been named finalists of the English Song Competition at the GSMD. He also had the opportunity to play with Emily Magee and Christiane Karg at the GMJO Spring Tour 2014.
Antonio is an active performer of solo recitals around London and abroad. He has performed in Paxos International Festival in Greece; Festival ‘Las Edades del Hombre’ in Toro (Spain) 2016, Pirineos Classic Festival, Eutherpe Foundation in León, Aiara Festival, Fundación Botín in Santander, Toccatta en A (Madrid), Casa de Granada (Madrid), Ateneo de Madrid, Juventudes Musicales in Bilbao, Musitekton Hall and Granados-Marshall Academy in Barcelona. His recitals in London include the concert series “Steinways at 6” in Milton Court Concert Hall, Charlton House, St Clement Danes, National Physical Laboratory, Song in the City Festival, The Forge Candem, Southwark Cathedral, St James Paddington, St Stephen Walbrook, St John Baptist Church, St George Bloomsbury, St Lawrence Jewry. Across UK, he has also performed in Bourneville (Birmingham), in St John’s Peterborough (Cambridgeshire), in Hastings (East Sussex), in Watford (Hertfordshire), in St John’s ARC in Harlow (Essex), in Bury St Edmunds Cathedral and Lavenham Church (Suffolk), and in Stratford upon Avon (Warwickshire).
Antonio has been awarded with the Guildhall School Trust from 2012/2014. He has also been awarded with the Audience Special Prize and Finalist Prize in Campillos International Competition 2015, 4th Prize at the Eastbourne Young Soloist Competition 2013 and the 2nd prize at the “Concours International d’Ile de France” competition in Paris, 2008. He complements his training with masterclasses with pianists such as Anne Quéffélec, Émile Naoumoff, Jerome Rose, Luis Fernando Pérez, Denis Pascal, Josep Colom, Vladimir Bronewetzky, Bernard d’Ascoli, Paul Roberts, and Guigla Katsarava among others.
Antonio has recently recorded his debut CD, The Inner Child, with Orpheus Classical.
Free recital (retiring collection)