Gijon International Piano Festival

Set on the spectacular coast of northern Spain, the Gijon International Piano Festival offers advanced pianists an opportunity for two weeks of masterclasses, recitals, and individual instruction with internationally renowned piano professors.  Having celebrated its 20th edition in 2019, the festival has had some of the most sought after teachers on its faculty. Faculty have included Julian Martin (Juilliard School), Robert McDonald (Juilliard School), Boris Slutsky (Peabody Conservatory), Veda Kaplinsky (Juilliard School), Marc Durand (University of Montreal), Jose Ramon Mendez (Oberlin Conservatory), the late Dominique Weber (Geneva Conservatory), Yong Hi Moon (Peabody Conservatory), Douglas Humpherys (Eastman School of Music), Blanca Uribe, James Giles (Northwestern University), Logan Skelton (University of Michigan), Miyoko Lotto (Manhattan School of Music) and many others. Check the website for information about faculty for 2025.

About Gijon:

Gijon is a beautiful beach town in the northern part of Spain, in the province of Asturias. Known for its beautiful landscape and Celtic origins, and popular among tourists for its fresh seafood, hearty northern Spanish cuisine and sidra (fermented cider) culture, Gijon is an ideal tourist destination. Moderated by the sea, Gijon’s temperatures are always mild, and the town has a charming mix of the historic and the modern.  For more information about Gijon, visit www.gijon.es and select “English” at the top right.

Typical Festival Day:

Each festival day is filled with private lessons and masterclasses. All lessons and masterclasses are open to all students. Most teaching will be conducted in English. However, some lessons and specialized classes may be conducted in Spanish, French, or German.

Lessons and masterclasses will take place at the Conservatorio Profesional de Música de Gijón, which is located in the Universidad Laboral, the largest building in Spain! Public student recitals will take place at the Colegiata de San Juan Bautista, as well as other venues around the city. All students will receive free admission to festival concerts and recitals.

Individual Instruction and Master Classes

Students may choose to attend the festival with either ACTIVE or AUDITOR status. ACTIVE students will be given five individual lessons, the opportunity to perform in masterclasses and at least one public recital. AUDITOR students are allowed to attend lessons and all other events. All lessons are open, that is, any student can observe any other student’s lesson at any time.

Most faculty members give one or more masterclasses. Each class normally features two or three performers, depending on the length of the works selected. Students will be asked to submit repertoire on the first day should they wish to be considered for these classes. The selection of performers is left to the discretion of the faculty member offering the class.

Student Recitals & Guest Artist Recitals

Evenings are devoted to solo recitals. These concerts feature guest artists and festival students in such venues as the Colegiata de San Juan Bautista, the Jardín Botánico de Gijón, the Jovellanos Theater, and the Teatro de la Laboral.


For more information, please contact:
Dr. Jose Ramon Mendez, Artistic Director
Dr. Amy E. Gustafson, Executive Director
Ms. Andrea Garcia, Director of Production and Communications
Dr. Shichao Zhang, Festival Coordinator
Ms. Yetong Tang, Assistant to the Artistic Director
Mr. Stephen Joven-Lee, Associate Supervisor and Assistant to the Executive Director
gijonpianofestival@gmail.com


For technical questions, please visit the Acceptd Help Desk.