“Quote from review: “…the sense of eclecticism is at the core of the young pianist’s style and is what sets him apart.” — Charleston City Paper”
Dr. William Villaverde has performed extensively throughout Cuba, Bolivia, Spain, and the United States. As a soloist, he has performed with the Frost Symphony Orchestra, the South Carolina Philharmonic Orchestra, the College of Charleston Symphony Orchestra, the Meadows Symphony Orchestra, the Iuventas Symphony Orchestra (Spain), the Youth Symphony Orchestra of Valencia. His international appearances include the Havana International Contemporary Music Festival, the Iberoamerican International Music Festival of Havana, the COFES International Music Festival in Bolivia, the Piccolo Spoleto International Music Festival in Charleston, South Carolina, and the International Piano Series at the College of Charleston, among others. The Charleston City Paper has described Dr. Villaverde’s performances as “unforgettable”. The music critic of the newspaper of Leon, Spain, described Villaverde as a marvelous pianist, who gave one of the best versions he had heard of Liszt’s Piano Concerto No. 1.
Dr. Villaverde began his career as a pianist in his native country of Cuba, where he was one of the youngest recitalists to be a member of the National Center of Concert Music and a member of the Piano Faculty of the National School of Music. While in Cuba, the Cuban National Radio broadcasted some of his live recordings and he also performed on National Television. He was honored as “Laureate for Art” by the Higher Institute of Arts after winning Second Prize in the 1999 Piano Competition of the National Union of Cuban Writers and Artists.
Dr. Villaverde won First Prize in the 2009 University of Miami Concerto Competition, and the 2005 Annual Meadows Concerto Competition at Southern Methodist University (Dallas, TX). The Meadows School of the Arts at SMU awarded him with the 2005 Von Mickwitz Prize in Piano. The College of Charleston awarded him with the 2003 and 2004 Edwin Davis Peacock Awards for the excellence of his piano performances. Dr. Villaverde was also the State and the Southern Division Winner at the 2003 MTNA (Music Teachers National Association) Piano Competition. In 2002 he won First Prize in the Southeastern Piano Competition (North Carolina) and the 2002 Arthur Fraser Piano Competition (Columbia, South Carolina), where he also won the Audience Choice Award.
Dr. Villaverde studied in Havana at the Caturla Conservatory with Prof. Virginia de la Osa, later at the National School of Music and at the Higher Institute of Arts with pianist and composer, Andres Alen. Dr. Villaverde came to the United States under a Full Piano Scholarship to study at the College of Charleston in South Carolina with pianist Enrique Graf. After graduating Cum Laude from the College of Charleston, Dr. Villaverde entered the class of pianist Joaquin Achucarro under a Full Piano Scholarship at the Meadows School of the Arts at Southern Methodist University in Dallas, Texas. While in Dallas he was a piano faculty at Gray School of music where he taught for three years. As a member of the Music Teachers National Association he was often invited as adjudicator to several piano festivals in Plano and Richardson, TX. Dr. Villaverde holds both a Masters of Music and Artist Certificate degree in Piano Performance from SMU. Throughout his career he has been coached by pianists Jorge Luis Prats, Ilana Vered, Alessio Bax, Alfred Mouledous, and Leonel Morales.
Dr. Villaverde holds Doctorate of Musical Arts degree in Piano Performance, having studied with pianist and composer Dr. JB Floyd under a full scholarship at the University of Miami. He also pursued a cognate in Jazz Performance, having studied with jazz pianists Felix Gomez, Angelo Versace, Doug Bickel, and Martin Bejerano. In addition to his studies, Dr. Villaverde has served as a Teaching Assistant for the Keyboard Department at the Frost School of Music teaching private piano and group piano to undergraduate music and non-music majors. As a music entrepreneur, he is Co-Founder, Program Director, and Piano Faculty of Superior Academy of Music in Miami, FL. He is also a member of the Miami Music Teachers Association, as well as the Florida State and National Music Teachers Associations. For more information please visit: www.williamvillaverde.com
