MARIMBA TEACHER
The marimba soloist Conrado Moya is one of the most relevant interpreters of the instrument in the world today.
He has been acclaimed for his extraordinary technique and expressive power, and well as for his total commitment on
stage.
Conrado Moya has performed as a marimba soloist all over the world in soto recitals, and as a soloist with symphony orchestras, bands and choirs. Likewise, he has been a frequent participant in significant events, such as ASIC (Percussive Arts Society International Convention) in Indianapolis, the Guatemala International Marimba Festival, the Chiapas International Festival for Marimba Players, the International Mercedes-Benz Music Festival in Shanghai and the Fair Saturday solidarity movement, among others. In the field of chamber music, he has performed with ensembles such as the Li Biao Percussion Group and Marimba Quartet. All these commitments have led to performances in important concert halls in Europe, Asia and America, including the Stuttgart Liederhalle, the Teatro Colén in Buenos Aires, the Teatro Julio Mario Santo Domingo in Bogota, the Sala Sao Paulo in Brazil, the Oriental Art Center in Shanghai and the National Center for the Performing Arts in Beijing, among others.
‘Among his recent and forthcoming projects, stands out the world premiere of Tres Quadres per a Marimba, written by
Albert Guinovart and dedicated to Conrado Moya, together with the Municipal Band of Barcelona and José Rafael Pascual Vilaplana in L’Auditori; two concerts as a soloist with the Bilbao Orkestra Sinfonikoa and a recital in the Great Soloists with the BOS concert series; and the world premiere of Joaquin Rodrigo’s Concerto for piano and orchestra in its version for marimba —transcribed by Conrado Moya himself and exclusively authorized to the artist by the composer’s heirs, together with the Philharmonic Orchestra of Gran Canaria and maestro Guillermo Garcia Calvo, and subsequent performances at the Cadiz Spanish Music Festival together with the Ciudad de Almeria Orchestra and Michael Thomas.
‘Also noteworthy is the European premiere of Everlasting Light, a requiem for choir and marimba by Christos Hatzis, together with the Bilbao Choir at the Guggenheim Museum in Bilbao and the Reina Sofia Museum in Madrid; tours in Germany and Spain with Katarzyna My¢ka performing one of the most demanding projects for a marimba duo, the Goldberg Variations by J. S. Bach; in addition to various solo recitals and master classes in Spain, Germany, Switzerland, Colombia or Mexico.
Conrado Moya studied music at the conservatoire in Alicante (Spain), his hometown. While attending classes there, he also received tuition from the soloists Sisco Aparici in Valencia and Katarzyna Myéka in Stuttgart. Later, Moya continued his studies in the Hanns Eisler Hochschule fir Musik in Bertin, under the guidance of the soloist Li Biao. By that time, he had already gained recognition with awards such as First Prize at the University of Cordoba’s International Marimba ‘Competition, the Honorary Award of the Alicante Concert Society’s Musical Interpretation Competition, and the Musical Interpretation Scholarship awarded by the association Pro-Misica Amadeo L. Sala, which mentioned his outstanding musical qualities and his work and commitment to the future of his instrument.
Conrado Moya is firmly committed to the development of the marimba and to extending the public’s awareness of the instrument. To this end, he has worked intensively in the creation of anew repertoire for marimba together with ‘composers from all over the world such as Christos Hatzis, Anna Ignatowicz-Gliiska and Arkadiusz Katny, and with special attention to those from his country such as Ferran Cruixent, Albert Guinovart, Tomés Marco and Lorenzo Palomo.
He has also worked on transcribing and reinterpreting —through the sound of the marimba~ great classical works ranging from J. S. Bach to Joaquin Rodrigo. One of the fruits of all this work was Silentium, his first marimba solo album, followed by Marimba Synergy, his atest album with Bach’s Goldberg Variations in a duo with Katarzyna Mycka for Mons Records.
‘Simultaneously with his creative work, Moya is involved in extensive educational work and is regularly invited to teach in academies and Master Classes in Spain, Germany, Luxembourg, Canada, Colombia, Mexico, the USA and Japan, and to sit on juries in international competitions. He is currently marimba professor at the Centro Superior de Misica de Galicia, Escuela Superior de Misica de Alto Rendimiento (ESMAR) in Valencia and Centro Superior Progreso Musical in Madrid.
‘Conrado Moya is endorsed by the American marimba maker Marimba One, with whom he has developed his very own marimba mallet series.