The richness of Hispanic classical music lies in its deep integration of folklore, guitar, and flamenco, creating a unique language that merges the popular with the academic. Composers such as Falla and Albéniz in Spain, and Ginastera in Argentina, drew inspiration from popular dances and songs, incorporating techniques like tremolos and strumming in their piano compositions to evoke the distinctive sound of the guitar. For Falla and Albéniz, the cante jondo and flamenco styles, with their rhythmic and emotional depth, also influenced their works, adding an expressive intensity and a distinctive cultural identity that enriched classical music and inspired contemporaries like Debussy. This influence continues to resonate in new repertoire, where echoes of these traditions remain present. This event will be in-person only.
“Galera Lopez represents all that we admire in a pianist: warm sound, artistic phrasing, and faultless technique.”
—Joseph Youngblood, Palm Beach Daily News
Antonio Galera has performed in Spain’s most prestigious venues, including the Auditorio Nacional de Música, Palau de la Música de València, Auditorio de Zaragoza, Palau de la Música de Barcelona, Cartuja de Valldemossa, and Teatros del Canal. He has also appeared in notable series and festivals such as Musika-Música Bilbao, the Úbeda International Music Festival, and the Festival del Mediterrani at the Palau de les Arts.
Galera’s international career has taken him to celebrated venues such as Saint Martin-in-the-Fields in London, Balliol Hall in Oxford, Salle Cortot in Paris, Chapelle de la Trinité in Fontainebleau, Steinway Hall in New York, the Society of the Four Arts in Palm Beach, and Zhong Shan Hall in Taipei. His performances have also reached audiences in Canada, Mexico, South Africa, Gabon, Malaysia, and Qatar. Recently, he was invited by the Hispanic Society of New York to undertake an artistic residency, featuring a series of concerts throughout the current season.
As a soloist, Galera has performed with orchestras including the Orquestra de València, Orquestra de la Comunitat Valenciana, Orquesta Sinfónica del Principado de Asturias, Orquestra del Vallès, Philharmonie Baden-Baden, Palm Beach Symphony, Orchestre des Écoles Américaines, Bar Harbor Festival Orchestra, Orquesta Nacional de la República Dominicana, and Orquesta Sinfónica de Nuevo León, as well as with youth orchestras from Madrid, Valencia, and the National Taiwan Symphony Orchestra. He has collaborated with esteemed conductors such as Philippe Entremont, Beatriz Fernández, Heikko-Matthias Förster, Francis Fortier, Manuel Galduf, Rubén Gimeno, Lee Hsieh Wen, Jesús Medina, Eduardo Portal, Pablo Rus, Andrés Salado, Cristóbal Soler, and Ramón Tebar, among others.
Galera is highly active in chamber music, serving for several years as artist-in-residence at the Bar Harbor Music Festival, where he became an admirer of the Acadia region. He has also performed at the Centre de Musique de Chambre de Paris, Fundación Juan March, Música en Segura, and the Festival dels Horts, where he serves as founder and artistic director. His multidisciplinary collaborations include work with companies such as La Veronal, La Fura dels Baus, and Cashalada, as well as with celebrated writer Elvira Lindo.
Galera’s debut album, Prélude, received widespread critical acclaim, earning the Melómano de Oro and the Joker Découverte award from Crescendo magazine, which described it as “a magnificent musical calling card” from an artist with a “strong personality.” His second solo project, Cordes, is set to be released in early 2025.