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Antonio Iturrioz was born in Cuba in the town of Havana. His teachers include his father Pablo Iturrioz, Francisco de Hoyos, Bernardo Segall(who was a pupil of Siloti), Aube Tzerko and Julian White. He has taken many master classes with Andre Watts, Alexis Weissenberg, Byron Janis and Jorge Bolet.

Antonio gave his first performance at age 9 and his orchestral debut at age 15. After an injury to his right hand in his early years, he took 3 years to recover when he studied the complete left hand transcriptions and original compositions of Leopold Godowsky. Antonio’s first documentary “The Art of the Left Hand: A Brief History of Left Hand Piano Music”, was the result of his many years of studying the left hand piano repertoire and Godowsky was the central figure. In 2010 Antonio created a documentary called "The Buddha of the Piano - Leopold Godowsky" based on his research into the composers life and music. The documentary has been shown on public television across the United States. Antonio is a Steinway Artist [7] Antonio is the Director of the New International Godowsky Society.   

About the Concert

Gottschalk and Cuba is a journey through 100 years of music that started with a 19th Century American pianist-composer living in Cuba and a 21st Century Cuban-American pianist telling the story.

Louis Moreau Gottschalk was America’s first important pianist-composer and the Rock Star of his age !! (1829-1869). He was Abe Lincoln’s favorite pianist ! Antonio Iturrioz’s new CD, due in 2018, will have several world premieres of music by important Cuban pianist-composers who were all influenced by Gottschalk. And the influence Cuban music had on Gottschalk.

And, the world premiere recording of Gottschalk’s greatest work, Symphony Romantique BOTH movements, Night in the Tropics and Fiesta Criolla, ON ONE PIANO !

“Congratulations on this extraordinary album of music ! Your projection of the inner life in
these works of Gottschalk et al is uncanny. Of course, your technical mastery is beyond
complete, but it is your realization of the ‘heart and soul’ of this music which is most
impressive. That you have given the world this historic ‘first’ re-hearing of Gottschalk’s original
intentions for ‘Night in the Tropics’ is more than worthy of being recorded for posterity. I wish
you well in this endeavor to bring such great music (with your fantastic playing) to the public !”

ANDRE WATTS, March 26, 2018

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