ABEL SÁNCHEZ-AGUILERA

Acclaimed for his “sophisticated handling of the sound” and “stupendous virtuosity”, Abel Sánchez-Aguilera has appeared as a soloist in ten countries (Spain, France, , , Italy, Hungary, Bulgaria, , United States and Brazil). He has been heard, among others, on the stages of Théâtre du Châtelet (Paris), Mozarteum (Salzburg), Gasteig (Munich), Neue Schloss (Stuttgart), Scriabin Memorial Museum (), Sheremetev Palace (St. Petersburg), Bulgaria Hall (Sofia) and Steinert Hall (Boston), and in festivals such as Musikfest Stuttgart (2014, 2016), TransArt 2017, Musique au Palais (2016-17), Festival Romantique de Buc (2013-14) and “Les Amateurs virtuoses!” (2009-15). He has performed Rachmaninoff’s Piano no.3 with the New Philarmonia (Massachusetts, USA, 2012) and the Orchestra di Padova e del Veneto (Padua, Italy, 2016).

Born in Madrid, Abel Sánchez-Aguilera obtained his Higher Piano Diploma from the Royal Conservatory of Music in his native city under the guidance of Fernando Puchol and Juan Carlos Martínez. Subsequently he has continued his studies with Ya-Fei Chuang, both at the New England Conservatory in Boston and at the Salzburg Mozarteum Internationale Sommerakademie, which he has attended for six consecutive years. He has also received artistic advice from Robert Levin, Luiz de Moura Castro, Ilze Graubin and Marisa Montiel.

A laureate of several international competitions, Abel Sánchez-Aguilera has been especially recognized for his advocacy of the modern and contemporary . He was awarded First Prize in the “Alexander Skrjabin” competition (Salzburg, 2015), First Prize and best contemporary interpretation award in the Open Piano Competition (2013), the Prize of the Mozarteum Sommerakademie (2013), First Prize “Musik der Extraklasse” (Salzburg, 2011), First Prize and audience award in the Boston International Piano Competition (2011), Third Prize (solo category) and Fourth Prize (concerto category) in the competition “Premio Città di Padova” (2016), among others.

In commemoration of the centenary of the ’s death in 2015, Abel Sánchez-Aguilera performed ’s complete piano at Théâtre du Châtelet (Paris), as well as the rarely heard “to the memory of Scriabin” by Leonid Sabaneev. He has given the premieres of the works Brevedades by C. M. González-Portela (1999) and his own compositions Morella (2016) and Scriabiniana (2012). He is a member of the editorial team of the Sorabji Archive (UK), for which he has prepared first critical editions of two of Sorabji’s major works (Tāntrik for piano alone and Piano Symphony no.3), and is a coauthor of the new edition of Opus Clavicembalisticum (in preparation).

Parallel to his musical activity, Abel Sanchez-Aguilera has contributed to an unrelated field – that of biomedicine. He has a PhD degree in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, and between 2000 and 2016 he performed research on leukemia and lymphoma in Spain and the United States. His scientific work, represented by 28 articles and book chapters, led to the discovery of a potential application of the drug tamoxifen for the treatment of some blood cancers.

“…sophisticated handling of the sound, such knowledge of the style, not getting lost in impressionistic sonorities but highlighting the structural thought. And besides a stupendous virtuosity.” (DrehPunktKultur, Salzburg, 2013) “[Scriabin’s] Fourth sonata (…) and the fantastic poem Vers la flamme, one of his last pieces, were skillfully defended by Abel Sanchez-Aguilera, who underlined with subtlety their mixture of sounds and colours.” (Classic Toulouse, 2016) ABEL SÁNCHEZ-AGUILERA Pianist

Website (in English) https://abelsanchezaguilera.wordpress.com https://www.facebook.com/abelsanchezaguilera Website (in Spanish) https://abelsanchezaguileraes.wordpress.com https://www.facebook.com/sanchezaguileraabel

Education

2010-2015 Mozarteum Internationale Sommerakademie Universität Mozarteum (Salzburg, Austria) Masterclass of Ya-Fei Chuang 2009-2011 Piano Interpretation and Performance Seminar New England Conservatory of Music (Boston, USA) Class of Ya-Fei Chuang 2006 Ph.D., Biochemistry and Molecular Biology Universidad Complutense (Madrid, Spain) 2000 Bachelor of Science, Biochemistry Universidad Complutense (Madrid, Spain) 1999 Higher Diploma in Piano, "Profesor Superior" (*) Real Conservatorio Superior de Música (Madrid, Spain) Class of Fernando Puchol (*) 10-year degree in Music, equivalent to a Bachelor degree Masterclasses Ya-Fei Chuang, Robert Levin, Luiz de Moura Castro, Ilze Graubin, Fernando Puchol, Marisa Montiel. Languages Spanish (native), English (C2), French, Italian, German (rudimentary)

Awards and Honours

2016 Third Prize (overall) and First Prize (piano category) International competition “Premio Città di Padova” (Padua, Italy) 2016 Fourth Prize International competition “Premio Città di Padova” for soloists and orchestra (Padua, Italy) 2015 First Prize Piano competition "Alexander Skrjabin" (Salzburg, Austria) 2013 First Prize and best performance of a contemporary work Open Piano Competition (Torino, Italy) 2013 Prize of the Mozarteum Sommerakademie (Salzburg, Austria) 2011 First Prize Piano competition “Musik der Extraklasse” (Salzburg, Austria) 2011 First Prize and Audience Award Boston International Piano Competition (Boston, EEUU) 2009 Second Prize and best performance of a modern work Boston International Piano Competition (Boston, EEUU) Recitals

. Solo recitals in Spain, France, Austria, Germany, Hungary, Bulgaria, Russia, the United States and Brazil. . Performance of Scriabin’s complete piano sonatas at Théâtre du Châtelet (Paris, 2015). . Three performances of Rachmaninoff’s no.3 with the New Philarmonia Orchestra (Newton,MA,2012) and the Orchestra di Padova e del Veneto (Padua, 2016). . World premiere of several works, such as Brevedades by C. M. González-Portela (1999) and the original compositions Morella (2016) and Scriabiniana (2012).

Past recitals (selected)

2017 Conservatorio “Cesare Pollini” (Padua) - Rachmaninoff, Piano Concerto no.3 Maison de l’Asie du Sud-Est (Paris) Ateneo Theatre (Madrid) “Bulgaria” Chamber Hall (Sofia) 2016 Neue Schloss Stuttgart (Musikfest Stuttgart) Palais Niel (Toulouse) Salle André Ravache (Le Pouliguen, Francia) Centro Cultural Galileo (Madrid) 2015 Théâtre du Châtelet (Paris) - Scriabin, the complete piano sonatas Palais Niel (Toulouse) Mozarteum Grosses Studio (Salzburg) Gasteig (Munich) 2014 Neue Schloss Stuttgart (Musikfest Stuttgart) Alexander Scriabin Memorial Museum (Moscow) Festival Romantique de Buc (Buc, France) Music School no. 20 (Sestrorezk, Russia) 2013 Festival Romantique de Buc (Buc, Francia) 2012 New Philarmonia Orchestra (Newton, MA) - Rachmaninoff, Piano Concerto no.3 Théâtre du Châtelet (Paris) Steinert Hall (Boston) Sheremetev Palace (St. Petersburg) 2011 Institut Français (Budapest) 2010 Mozarteum Kleines Studio (Salzburg) - Boulez, sonata no.2 Conservatoire de Nice (France) 2009 Steinert Hall (Boston) - Chopin, the complete etudes (op.10 and op.25) Fort de Copacabana (Rio de Janeiro)

Publications Sorabji, Kaikhosru Shapurji. Tāntrik Symphony for Piano alone. First edition. Abel Sánchez- Aguilera, editor. Hereford, England: The Sorabji Archive; 2015. 447 p. (score) + 41 p. (critical commentary). Sorabji, Kaikhosru Shapurji. Third Symphony for Piano solo. First edition. Abel Sánchez- Aguilera, editor. Hereford, England: The Sorabji Archive; 2016. 197 p. (score) + 24 p. (critical commentary). Repertoire

(The following list is by no means exhaustive. Generally I will be able to perform most piano in the standard repertoire with 2-3 months’ notice, but this time can be substantially shorter depending on the work in question. For most chamber works and song cycles, between a few days and two weeks notice will usually suffice).

Isaac ALBENIZ Fryderyk CHOPIN Iberia (books I y IV) THE COMPLETE ETUDES (op.10, op.25, Trois Nouvelles Etudes) , op.9 no.1 The Well-Tempered Clavier, Book I Ballade no.1, op.23 15 Two-Part Inventions 2 , op.27 Concerto Italiano 24 , op.28 The Art of the Fugue, Contrapunctus 1-4, 9 no.2, op.36 Waltz, op.64 no.2 Sonata no.2, op.35 Sonata op.2 no.3 Nocturne, op.37 no.1 Sonata op.10 no.2 Nocturne, op.55 no.2 Sonata op.13 Fantaisie-Impromptu, op. posth. 66 Sonata op.27 no.2 2 Waltzes, op. posth. 69 Sonata op.31 no.2 Waltzes, op. posth. 70, nos.2-3 Sonata op.49 no.2 Piano Concerto no.1, Op.11 Sonata op.53 Sonata op.78 Sonata op.90 Selected Preludes from Book I Sonata op.110 L’isle joyeuse Piano Concerto no.1 in C major, Op.15 Reflets dans l’eau (from Images, I) Piano Concerto no.3 in C minor, Op.37 Reflets Klavierstück in C minor Pour Daniel Variations on an original theme in C major Sonata, op.1 Manuel de FALLA Fantasia Baetica Ritual of Fire (from "El Amor Brujo") Sonata no.2 Ivan FEDELE Etudes Australes, nos.3 and 5 Variations on a theme by Paganini, Op.35 Piano pieces, Op.76 (nos.1 ,2, 5, 8) Piano Concerto no.2 in B flat major, Op.83 Sonata no.6, op.13

Ferrucio BUSONI Sonatina brevis Isoldes Liebestod Mosonyis Grabgeleit Domenico SCARLATTI Sonata no.1, op.3 Sonatas (K.3, 24, 27, 96, 141, 159, 175) 2 Nocturnes, op.15 Wolfgang Amadeus MOZART 3 Klavierstücke, op.11 Sonata in B flat major, K.281 6 kleine Klavierstücke, op.19 Sonata in D major, K.284 Klavierstuck, op.33a Sonata in A major, K.331 Rondo in D major, K.485 Piano Concerto in B flat, K.450 Papillons, op.2 Piano Concerto in , K.466 Carnaval, op.9 Fantasy in C major, op.17 Tristan MURAIL Faschingsschwank aus Wien, op.26 La mandragore Album für die Jugend, op.68 (selection) Cloches d'adieu, et un sourire Alexander SCRIABIN Nikolai OBUKHOV THE COMPLETE PIANO SONATAS Révélation Etude, op.2 no.1 Etude, op.8 no.12 Prelude for the left hand, op.9 no.1 Etudes Tableaux, op.33, nos.5-6 Fantasy, op.28 Etudes Tableaux, op.39, nos.1, 5 and 9 Poème, op.59 no.1 Piano Concerto no.2, Op.18 Vers la flamme, op.72 Piano Concerto no.3, Op.30 Deux danses, op.73 Rhapsody on a theme by Paganini, Op.43 5 Preludes, op.74

Maurice RAVEL Kaikhosru SORABJI Gaspard de la nuit Toccata Seconda Noctuelles, Alborada del gracioso, Vallée des cloches (from "Miroirs") Sonatine Piano Concerto no.1 in B flat minor, Op.23

Nikolai ROSLAVETS Heitor VILLA-LOBOS 5 Preludes (1919-1922) Hommage à Chopin

Friedrich Wilhelm RUST Sonata in F sharp minor Variationen für Klavier, op.27 Concerto for 9 instruments, op.24 Leonid SABANEEV Sonata op.15 ("To the memory of Scriabin") Selected short compositions Interludium A Biomedical research

In parallel to my music career, during the years 2000-2016 I carried out an intense research activity in the field of biomedicine, focused on blood cancers (leukemia, lymphoma) and blood cell formation. Among other contributions, this work led to the discovery of a possible use of tamoxifen (a common drug in oncology) for the treatment of some blood cancers, and to the identification of new prognostic markers for Hodgkin’s lymphoma.

Research positions

2011-2016 Senior Postdoctoral Scientist, "Ramón y Cajal" Investigator Centro Nacional de Investigaciones Cardiovasculares (CNIC) (Madrid) 2008-2011 Research Fellow (Hematology/Oncology) Children’s Hospital Boston / Harvard Medical School (Boston, USA) 2006-2008 Research Fellow (Experimental Hematology) Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center (Cincinnati, USA) 2000-2006 Graduate student Spanish National Cancer Research Centre (CNIO) (Madrid, Spain)

Awards and Honours

2013 Travel Award, 18th Congress of the European Hematology Association 2011 Marie Curie Integration Grant (CIG), Research Executive Agency 2011 "Ramón y Cajal" Senior Postdoctoral Grant Ministry of Science and Innovation, Spain 2011 Research Fellowship, European Hematology Association (EHA) 2011 Financial support from "Asociación Española Contra el Cáncer" (declined due to incompatibility) 2005 Best scientific presentation, Gene Signatures Symposium, Madrid 2002 XIII Complutense Award, Universidad Complutense, Madrid 2001 Predoctoral Fellowship, Comunidad Autónoma de Madrid 2001 National Graduation Award, Spanish Ministry of Education 2001 Extraordinary Award, Universidad Complutense, Madrid

Publications and conference presentations

26 research articles 2 book chapters 1 patent application (on the use of tamoxifen for the treatment of myeloproliferative diseases) 14 conference presentations (oral communications) 1 invited lecture (Scott Murphy Memorial Lecture, BEST Collaborative Meeting, 2014).

A complete scientific CV is available upon request.