Biography
A native of Puerto Rico, Jose Ramos Santana is one of the most acclaimed pianists of his generation and an acknowledged master of Spanish music.
He is the recipient of the 2020 Issac Albeniz Medal awarded by the Fundaćion Issac Albeniz in Camprodon Spain. Mr. Ramos Santana is also the founder and artistic director of the Puerto Rico International Piano Festival. Recent performance and masterclasses include the 2018 summer festival Maestros del Norte y Pianistas del Sur in Buenos Aires, Argentina.
Jose Ramos Santana has appeared as a guest soloist with major orchestras such as the New York Philharmonic, Royal Philharmonic Orchestra of London, Detroit Symphony, Saint Louis Symphony, Baltimore Symphony, San Antonio Symphony, Rochester Philharmonic, 92nd Street Y Orchestra, The New York Virtuosi, Casals Festival Orchestra, Puerto Rico Symphony, and the orchestras of New Mexico, Sioux City, Utah, Syracuse and many others. Additional solo performances include the Moscow Philharmonic Latin-American tour, Orchestra of L'Hermitage of Saint Petersburg, the Orchestra of Guatemala, the Orchestra of San Salvador, and the Orquestra de los Reyes in Lima, Peru. He has collaborated with distinguished musicians and conductors such as Krzsztoff Penderecki, John Adams, Dennis Russell Davies, Jerzy Semkow, Dimitri Kitaenko, Joseph Silverstein, cellist Arto Noras, violinist Gregory Zhislin, and pianist Vladimir Viardo.
With Justice Sonia Sotomayor
Jose Ramos Santana's much lauded guest appearance with the American Composers Orchestra at Carnegie Hall during the Sonidos de las Americas Festival was his third Carnegie Hall performance in one year. Mr. Ramos Santana has also performed at Zankel Hall and the Weill Recital Hall under the auspices of La Gesse Foundation.
A top prize winner of the Gina Bachauer International Piano Competition and a participant in the Xerox Piano Artist’s Program, he has appeared in music festivals such as Spoleto, Caramoor, Casals Festival, Grant Park Festival in Chicago, International Keyboard and Institute Festival at Mannes College, Washington International Piano Festival, Inter-American Music Festival in San Juan, Puerto Rico and the Amalfi Coast Music Festival in Italy.
His recital work has taken him to major venues throughout the United States, France, Germany, Italy, Switzerland, Spain, Central America, and the Far East.
He has been featured in documentaries on the PBS network, A&E channel and CBS Sunday Morning.
Jose Ramos Santana is also an established recording artist. His world premiere of "Glosas" by Roberto Sierra on the Fleur de Son Label received critical acclaim. His collaboration with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra also includes recordings of Ravel's Piano Concerto in G and Saint- Saens Piano Concerto in G minor op. 22 He has also recorded the complete works for piano and violin by the Spanish Catalonian composer Xavier Montsalvage with violinist Eva Leon on the Naxos Label.
As an active member of Musica de Camara, Inc., Jose Ramos Santana has served as jury member of the Gershwin International Music Competition, Rosalyn Tureck International Bach Competition for Young Pianists, Kosciuszko Foundation Chopin Piano Competition, Liszt-Garrison International Piano Competition, Louisiana International Piano Competition and William Kapell International Piano Competition selecting jury.
Jose Ramos Santana is a graduate of the Juilliard School where he studied with Adele Marcus, William Masselos and Sylvia Rabinof. He has also coached with Leon Fleisher and Alicia de Larrocha.
He is a member of the piano faculty at New York University Steinhardt School and teaches at the Levine School of Music in Washington, D.C.
Jose Ramos Santana is a Steinway Artist.
Jose Ramos Santana is the founder and artistic director of the Puerto Rico International Piano Festival.