Described as a “brilliant” musician (Scherzo, 2023) and possessing “spectacular potential, flawless pianism, and sensitive lyricism” (Codalario, 2017), Spanish pianist Juan Barahona balances his teaching role at the Escuela Superior de Música Reina Sofía in Madrid with an extensive international career as a soloist and chamber musician.

He has performed in some of Europe’s most prestigious venues, including Wigmore Hall, Auditorio Nacional de Música in Madrid, Palau de la Música Catalana, Fundación Juan March, and the Bucharest Ateneu, in addition to embarking on concert tours across Latin America and China.

Passionate about chamber music, he has been invited to collaborate at festivals such as the Verbier Festival, La Roja Festival, Pommersfelden Collegium Musicum, Santander Music and Academy Encounter, and Barcelona Obertura, working alongside artists like Nobuko Imai, Cristina Cordero, Ivan Monighetti, the Casals Quartet, Wenting Kang, and Martín García, among others.

With a deep interest in promoting contemporary music, Juan has premiered and recorded “Three Pieces After Turia” (2021) by composer Francisco Coll. He has also made the first recordings of Òscar Colomina’s “Imatges” (2021) and Sofia Gubaidulina’s “Fantasía sobre el tema SHEA” (2008) in collaboration with Radio Nacional de España.

His curiosity to explore new formats and forms of artistic expression led him, together with violist Cristina Cordero, to create the show “Romeo y Julieta: Música e Historia,” where music, narration, and performance converge in a unique experience. Premiered at the Palau de la Música Catalana in November 2021, with over 25 performances since then, the production is set for a discographic release in June 2025 in collaboration with the ARIA Classics label.

Born in 1989, Juan was mentored by teachers Nariné Karapetyan, Galina Eguiazarova, Marta Gulyas, Dmitri Alexeev, and Lilya Zilberstein, earning the highest distinctions at the Escuela Superior de Música Reina Sofía in Madrid, the Royal College of Music in London, and the University of Music and the Universität für Musik und Darstellende Kunst in Vienna. Throughout his training, he also benefited from the guidance and mentorship of Maestro Dimitri Bashkirov.

2025