Maria Canyigueral
Pianist
«The pianist convinces with a finely nuanced sensitive playing, that one wants to listen to» Pizzicato Magazine
«[...] Maria Canyigueral immediately proved to be a very subtle and expressively pure pianist, a true co-creator of the interpretation. In addition to the technical feats I immediately perceived her sense of the purity and beauty of the piano sound» by Marijan Zlobec
«Superb performance» Musical Opinion
Maria Canyigueral has been described by La Vanguardia as "a pianist of great personality".
One of the leading lights among the new generation of Spanish pianists, Maria Canyigueral has inspired collaborations with outstanding contemporary composers such as Antón García Abril, Benet Casablancas, Nicolas Bacri, Konstantia Gourzi and Moritz Eggert.
Recent highlights include recitals at Palau de la Música Catalana and Auditori in Barcelona, at Fundación Juan March in Madrid, at the Wigmore Hall in London and at Ljubljana Festival. She recently made her debut at Gran Teatre del Liceu performing Beethoven Choral Fantasy Op.80 with Fundació Liceu orquestra and Manel Valdivieso.
Maria Canyigueral has performed in Spain, the UK, Japan, Belgium, Slovenia, Bosnia and Herzegovina and France.
In addition to her live performances, Maria has made an impact with her recordings. Her solo album Avantguarding Mompou for Audite (2020) has been critically acclaimed from magazines such as International Piano, Pizzicato, Revista Musical Catalana and Melómano. It features the complete Cançons i danses by Frederic Mompou and commissions from Nicolas Bacri, Antón García Abril, Joseph Phibbs, Konstantia Gourzi, Moritz Eggert, Jiri Gemrot, Josep Maria Guix, Joan Magrané and Victor Estapé. The project was world premiered at the Conway Hall in 2018, awarded by Arts Council in England and supported by Instituto Cervantes, Fundació Mompou and Institut Ramon Llull.
Her first album with violinist Lana Trotovsek won the Gold Medal at the Global Music Awards in California featuring works by C. Franck, Granados, Skerjanc and Finzi (Hedone Records, 2016). Two more albums for Hedone Records (2017, 2021), one with flutist Boris Bizjak and a live recording from a solo recital at Palau de la Música Catalana performing Bach, Beethoven, Haydn and Montsalvatge.
Her live performances with Lana Trotovsek at Festival Ljubljana 2020 of the complete set of Sonatas for violin and piano by Beethoven have been recently published on four CDs, thanks to ZKP RTV Slovenia and Festival Ljubljana. It received 'Melómano de Oro' in Melómano Magazine and five stars in Musical Opinion.
«[...] Their unforgettable playing takes our breath away. The Beethoven they offer is an aristocratically elegant, astute, but always a stormy live performance» DELO
«[...] Remarkable, true feel of a live intuitive performance» The Strad
Canyigueral-Bassal Beethoven complete works for cello and piano for Da Vinci Classics (2023) is the recipient of 'Melómano de oro' and nominated for the ICMA awards 2024.
Her recent recording dedicated to Prokofiev with Trotovsek and Bizjak for Somm Recordings (2024) has been praised by Gramphone and BBC.
Having spent her formative years between Spain and the UK, Maria completed her undergraduate studies at the Conservatori del Liceu in Barcelona with Michel Wagemans, she later attained a Master of Arts in Performance from the Royal Academy of Music in London, studying with Sulamita Aronovsky. She has also received musical advice from Nino Kereselidze and André de Groote.
An avid chamber musician, Maria has been appointed artistic director at a new chamber music series in Barcelona, in Sarrià theatre. First edition took place from March to November 2021.
Maria teaches chamber music and piano courses at Morley College London.