As a researcher he covers various fields, being specialized in the history of the use and teaching of the damper pedal. As a result of his research activity, he located in 2011 an unpublished pedal method by Enrique Granados and in 2015 an autograph manuscript with military marches by the same composer. His Doctoral Thesis referring to the use and teaching of the piano’s damper pedal received the qualification of outstanding cum laude in 2013. He has also written several books and articles related to the interpretation and teaching of the piano.
Born in Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, in 1980, he began his musical studies at the Superior Conservatory of Music in the capital of Gran Canaria, obtaining the title of Piano Professor at the age of 15. Three years later he completed his higher studies in Piano, under the direction of Francisco Martínez and Agustín Chirino, and completed his training by also obtaining a higher degree in Chamber Music and Solfeggio, Music Theory, Transposition and Accompaniment. After completing a postgraduate degree in Piano and Chamber Music at the University of Alcalá de Henares with the Hungarian teacher Ferenc Rados, in 2002 he began studying Spanish music at the prestigious Marshall Academy in Barcelona under the supervision of Alicia de Larrocha and Carlota Garriga. In 2005 he obtained the Specialization Diploma in Spanish Music and in 2007 the Master’s Degree.
Parallel to this training, he receives master classes in Piano and Chamber Music from Karin Merle, A. Jasinski, Alexis Golovine, Barry Douglas, E. Moguilevsky and Alan Weiss, among others. He has also received master classes from Solomon Mikowsky, Ramón Coll, Jan Wijn, Paul Badura-Skoda, Charles Rosen, Carmen Bravo Vda. de Mompou, Neal P. Da Costa, Jesús A. Rodríguez, Almudena Cano, etc.
Since 1991 he has formed a very successful piano duo with his brother José María Curbelo (Dúo Curbelo), which is currently considered one of the most outstanding duos in Spain, having given more than a hundred recitals throughout Spain, as well as as in Argentina, Chile, Italy and Holland, and concerts with orchestra. His actions have been the main news on the front pages of the most widely distributed newspapers in the Canary Islands and in Spanish news programs at a national level. In 2006 they received the First Prize for Chamber Music in the CajaCanarias Competition and in 2001 the second prize in the same specialty at the “Ciutat de Manresa” Music Prize. In 2012 his first compact disc was published, recorded live in the emblematic space La Pedrera (Barcelona), with works for four-hand piano for the Klassic Cat company, and in 2013 an album of Spanish music for four-hand piano, published by the Spanish Society of Musicology (SEdeM). They have also recorded the work Ensayo a Dos for two pianos, by Garriga, for the Columna Música label and have made recordings for various programs on Spanish Television, Antena 3 and the Argentine National Radio, their interpretations being selected as tunes for the promotion of some programs (Panorama Canario in 1992, Claves in 2003 and 2004)
Source: duocurbelo.com/olivercurbelo
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