Gabriela Montero facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Gabriela Montero
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Montero at Sala São Paulo (2007)
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| Background information | |
| Born | May 10, 1970 Caracas, Venezuela |
| Genres | Classical |
| Occupation(s) | Pianist |
| Instruments | Piano |
Gabriela Montero (born May 10, 1970) is a talented Venezuelan pianist. She is famous for her amazing ability to create complex music on the spot, using ideas suggested by her audience. She also performs many well-known classical pieces.
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Gabriela Montero's Early Life
Gabriela Montero was born in Caracas, Venezuela. Her parents noticed her musical talent very early. When she was just seven months old, she started playing single notes on the piano with her finger. By 15 months, she could pick out familiar tunes. Before she could even speak, at 18 months old, she played the melody of her country's National Anthem!
Gabriela started formal piano lessons when she was four. She gave her first public performance at age five. When she was eight, she played her first big concert in Caracas. She performed a full piano concerto with the National Youth Orchestra of Venezuela. At nine, she received a special scholarship to study music in the United States. Later, from 1990 to 1993, she studied at the Royal Academy of Music in London. In 1995, she won third prize at the International Chopin Piano Competition.
How Gabriela Montero Performs
Gabriela Montero has a special way of connecting with her audience. After playing a concert, she often asks people for a melody or a theme. Then, she creates a brand new piece of music right there on the piano! Sometimes, even the orchestra suggests a theme for her.
Gabriela says that improvising helps her connect with her audience in a unique way. It's a very natural and spontaneous way for her to express herself. She has been improvising since she first touched a piano. For many years, she kept this special skill a secret.
Famous Concerts and Performances
Gabriela has performed with many famous orchestras around the world. These include the New York Philharmonic and the Los Angeles Philharmonic. She has also played at important venues like the Royal Festival Hall in London and the Kennedy Centre in Washington, D.C. She is often invited to the 'Progetto Martha Argerich’ Festival in Lugano every year.
A very special performance happened on January 20, 2009. Gabriela played John Williams' "Air and Simple Gifts" at the inauguration of U.S. president Barack Obama. She performed with other famous musicians like Itzhak Perlman and Yo-Yo Ma. Because it was very cold, they used a recording made two days before to protect the instruments.
Gabriela also works with French cellist Gautier Capuçon. They have performed together at many European music festivals. In August 2024, Gabriela performed her own Piano Concerto No. 1, called the 'Latin' Concerto, in Stockholm. This performance was featured on BBC Radio 3's Classical Live. She also improvised a solo piece based on a Swedish drinking song, suggested by an audience member.
Awards and Recognitions
Gabriela Montero has received many awards for her music.
Awards for Her Music Albums
Her first CD had classical pieces and also her own improvisations. Her album Bach and Beyond featured improvisations based on Bach's music. This album was very popular and stayed at the top of the music charts for months. In 2008, her album Baroque also received excellent reviews.
In 2006, Bach and Beyond won the "Choc de la musique de l'année" award from a French magazine. She also won the Keyboard Instrumentalist of the Year award at the ECHO Preis Award in Munich. In 2007, she received the Klassik-ohne-Grenzen Award for Bach and Beyond. Her album Baroque was nominated for a Grammy Award in 2009.
In 2015, another album won the Grammy for Best Classical Album at the Latin Grammy Awards. This album included her own composition "Ex Patria," Rachmaninov's Piano Concerto No.2, and three freestyle improvisations. Gabriela has also been featured on the TV show 60 Minutes in a segment called "The Gift."
Awards for Standing Up for What's Right
In May 2024, Gabriela Montero received the Václav Havel Prize for Creative Dissent. This award recognized her courage and creativity in challenging injustice. At the award ceremony in June, she performed her newest composition, "Canaima: A Quintet for Piano and Strings."
Gabriela Montero's Compositions
Gabriela Montero has also composed her own music:
- Op. 1, "Ex Patria," for piano and orchestra
- Piano Concerto No. 1, "Latin Concerto"
Discography
Here are some of Gabriela Montero's albums:
- Gabriela Montero: Montero: Piano Concerto No. 1; Ravel: Piano Concerto in G Major, M.83 (Orchid Classics, 2019)
- Gabriela Montero: Rachmaninov: Piano Concerto No. 2, Op. 18; Montero: Ex Patria, Op. 1 & Improvisations (Orchid Classics, 2015)
- Gabriela Montero: Solatino (EMI Classics, 2010)
- Gautier Capuçon and Gabriela Montero: Rhapsody - Rachmaninov, Prokofiev Cello Sonatas (Virgin Classics, 2008)
- Gabriela Montero: Baroque (EMI Classics, 2007)
- Gabriela Montero: Bach and Beyond (EMI Classics, 2006)
- Gabriela Montero: Piano Recital (EMI Classics, 2005)
- Gabriela Montero: Gabriela Montero en Concert a Montreal (Palexa, 2006)
- Gabriela Montero: Chopin: Piano Works (Palexa, 2007)
- Clara - Robert - Johannes: Darlings of the Muses: Piano Concerto in A minor (Clara Schumann) (Analekta, 2020)
See also
In Spanish: Gabriela Montero para niños
