Steinhardt Lecture: Priscila Navarro: Beyond Exoticism and Musical Postcards: The World of Isaac Albeniz and Iberia

Abstract:

Isaac Albeniz spent four years near the end of his life composing a monumental set of twelve pieces inspired by various scenes of Andalucía. After being diagnosed with Bright's disease, he retired to a small town in the South of France, the country where he had spent most of his professional career. It was from this distant space that he composed a seminal work dedicated to his native land. While the piece has become a landmark in the piano repertoire, it is often reduced to its fiendishly virtuosic and exotic qualities, sometimes referred to as a set of "postcards" from Spain and not as the magnum opus of a composer who had been educated in the most prestigious institutions of his time and had one of the most cosmopolitan experiences. This presentation will explore how Iberia blends Spanish folk elements with Albeniz' own compositional language, infused with romantic virtuosism and shades of impressionistic sonorities.

Described as “a phenomenal talent” by the Atlanta Audio Club, Priscila Navarro is an internationally acclaimed pianist and the first-prize winner of numerous international competitions, including the Franz Liszt-Garritson Competition in Baltimore, Maryland, the Beethoven Sonata Competition in Tennessee, the Chopin International Competition of Texas, the Imola City Awards in Italy, and the Leipzig Bach competition in Germany. She has performed solo recitals at major venues including Carnegie Hall and the Kennedy Center, and her performances have been featured on BBC Radio and Medici TV.

Her international concert career includes performances throughout the United States, Europe, Canada, and Latin America. Recent concerto performances this season have featured her as a soloists with orchestras in the concerti of Robert Schumann, Sergei Rachmaninoff, Ludwig van Beethoven, Liszt, and Bach, as well as music by Latin American composers.

A passionate advocate for Latin American music, Navarro has premiered works by composers including Jimmy López and developed a piano method for children based on Peruvian folk music. She is also an active chamber musician and performs regularly with pianist Michael Baron, with whom she has released a critically acclaimed album.

Navarro holds a Doctor of Musical Arts degree in piano performance and pedagogy from the University of Miami’s Frost School of Music. She is Assistant Professor of Piano at the University of Kansas and serves as Artistic Director and founder of the Parnassus Music Society, promoting musical opportunities and education for young Latin American musicians.