The following lines are a more unorthodox way of introducing myself and explain what I do, what I have done and why! If you want to read a more standard BIO (and there is nothing wrong with that), then click here. If not, keep reading!
I began playing the piano around the age of 10 thanks to a school teacher who told my mum I was good with music. It all feels frightfully random to think how some small moments in our lives can have such a huge impact on it! My mother then suggested the piano, and there we went, my sister and I.
At 14 I said I wanted to become a conductor, and finally at 18 years old I moved to Barcelona to pursue my piano studies with V. Bronevetzky, with the aim of continuing later as a conductor. I practised LOTS at the piano, carried on singing , as I had done before, played lots of repertoire and chamber music and got more and more fond of working with singers. Thanks to my inspiring lied teacher Alan Branch, I came to London to study a master's degree in accompaniment at the Guildhall School, where Pamela Lidiard was as patient as she could possibly be with me! and I was lucky enough to enter into Sian Edwards' conducting class, which I attended for 3 years, including the year I was a repetiteur in the opera department.
I started working in London as an accompanist and met the Tenorissimi back then, whilst we all were doing our master's at Guildhall. During this time I was fortunate enough to collaborate in great projects, such as Iain Burnside's Lads in Their Hundreds, playing at the GSMD's Gold Medal in the Barbican, or accompanying the incredibly talented Eva Ganizate (whom life has stolen from us so early) at the Wigmore Hall.
After my time as a student at GSMD I carried on working there, as well as teaching and conducting for Music in Offices. (What? You haven't heard of them? Then, click here) Many other things happened around that time, like conducting the Latin Chamber Orchestra at the Purcell Room, attending the Solti Academy ( you can see me conducting at the Solti Academy in the documentary Maestro or Mephisto on G. Solti, from around min. 45'55) or meeting my future husband.
Later on, I joined the music staff at the Royal Academy of Music as the Lucille Graham fellow in the Opera department, where I had the pleasure of working as chorus master on L'enfant et les sortilèges in a collaboration with the BBC. That year I had also the honour of conducting the first concert of the British Spanish Society and this is also the time when I met Christine Croshaw, who helped me immeasurably to find my voice back at the piano.
I still carried on conducting and playing, for instance as chorus master at Grange Park and later as Assitant Conductor but the recording of my Granados CD in 2014 was a turning point in my career, and I have increasingly made solo piano playing my focus again, winning at second prize in the Budapest Concerto Competition.
2017 was probably the most important year in my life, as I became a mother to my incredible daughter. She inspires me everyday to become a better version of myself. Despite all my worries not to be able to continue my performing career, I was back on the stage after 10 weeks! Funnily enough, I actually believe my playing has become much better since she came into our lives!
At present I direct my own Music Academy, the Academia de Musica Cañada Blanch in Portobello Road as well as teaching in St Paul's Cathedral School. I'm devoted to my students, trying to give back what I have been passed on by my own teachers.
Never stop learning, and never give up are my life's leitmotives... and staying true to my own advice, I have embarked on a new adventure, beginning my Doctorate at Guildhall School under the supervision of Prof Sir Barry Ife and Ronan O'Hora. I couldn't have hoped for better supervisors, I call them "my dream team". I shall be researching the pianist legacy of Blanche Selva.
Hope you enjoy browsing on the website, and it would be wonderful to meet you after a concert!
Maite
I began playing the piano around the age of 10 thanks to a school teacher who told my mum I was good with music. It all feels frightfully random to think how some small moments in our lives can have such a huge impact on it! My mother then suggested the piano, and there we went, my sister and I.
At 14 I said I wanted to become a conductor, and finally at 18 years old I moved to Barcelona to pursue my piano studies with V. Bronevetzky, with the aim of continuing later as a conductor. I practised LOTS at the piano, carried on singing , as I had done before, played lots of repertoire and chamber music and got more and more fond of working with singers. Thanks to my inspiring lied teacher Alan Branch, I came to London to study a master's degree in accompaniment at the Guildhall School, where Pamela Lidiard was as patient as she could possibly be with me! and I was lucky enough to enter into Sian Edwards' conducting class, which I attended for 3 years, including the year I was a repetiteur in the opera department.
I started working in London as an accompanist and met the Tenorissimi back then, whilst we all were doing our master's at Guildhall. During this time I was fortunate enough to collaborate in great projects, such as Iain Burnside's Lads in Their Hundreds, playing at the GSMD's Gold Medal in the Barbican, or accompanying the incredibly talented Eva Ganizate (whom life has stolen from us so early) at the Wigmore Hall.
After my time as a student at GSMD I carried on working there, as well as teaching and conducting for Music in Offices. (What? You haven't heard of them? Then, click here) Many other things happened around that time, like conducting the Latin Chamber Orchestra at the Purcell Room, attending the Solti Academy ( you can see me conducting at the Solti Academy in the documentary Maestro or Mephisto on G. Solti, from around min. 45'55) or meeting my future husband.
Later on, I joined the music staff at the Royal Academy of Music as the Lucille Graham fellow in the Opera department, where I had the pleasure of working as chorus master on L'enfant et les sortilèges in a collaboration with the BBC. That year I had also the honour of conducting the first concert of the British Spanish Society and this is also the time when I met Christine Croshaw, who helped me immeasurably to find my voice back at the piano.
I still carried on conducting and playing, for instance as chorus master at Grange Park and later as Assitant Conductor but the recording of my Granados CD in 2014 was a turning point in my career, and I have increasingly made solo piano playing my focus again, winning at second prize in the Budapest Concerto Competition.
2017 was probably the most important year in my life, as I became a mother to my incredible daughter. She inspires me everyday to become a better version of myself. Despite all my worries not to be able to continue my performing career, I was back on the stage after 10 weeks! Funnily enough, I actually believe my playing has become much better since she came into our lives!
At present I direct my own Music Academy, the Academia de Musica Cañada Blanch in Portobello Road as well as teaching in St Paul's Cathedral School. I'm devoted to my students, trying to give back what I have been passed on by my own teachers.
Never stop learning, and never give up are my life's leitmotives... and staying true to my own advice, I have embarked on a new adventure, beginning my Doctorate at Guildhall School under the supervision of Prof Sir Barry Ife and Ronan O'Hora. I couldn't have hoped for better supervisors, I call them "my dream team". I shall be researching the pianist legacy of Blanche Selva.
Hope you enjoy browsing on the website, and it would be wonderful to meet you after a concert!
Maite