CÉSAR DE GURBERT piano
|
Wednesday 18 November 2026Doors: 6.30pm
Concert: 7.30pm Duration: approx. 80 minutes (no interval) Tickets: £22 Adults, £17 Early bird (purchase by 18 October, limited number available), £15 Concessions (full-time students, state pension, limited number available) |
Photo by Victor Pagnot
|
Piano Fuego is an evening of colour, rhythm and discovery, with pianist César de Gurbert leading a musical journey across Latin America.
Spanning Cuba, Mexico, Brazil, Argentina, Ecuador and Venezuela, the programme brings together music of striking variety, from lyrical dances and atmospheric miniatures to works of greater drive and intensity. The result is a recital with a strong sense of movement and contrast, shaped by the distinctive rhythms, colours and character of each musical tradition. The programme includes music by composers such as Villa-Lobos, Ginastera and Piazzolla alongside lesser-known works from across the continent, as well as César de Gurbert’s own piano arrangements. Presented in the intimate setting of 1901 Arts Club, Piano Fuego offers a vivid and wide-ranging evening of Latin American piano music in one of London’s most distinctive salon venues. 
|
ProgrammeCUBA
Manuel Saumell (1818-1870) 4 Contradanzas Cubanas La virtuosa, L’amitié, Ayes del Alma, La Tedezco Ignacio Cervantes (1847-1905) 4 Danzas Cubanas Almendares, Improvisada, El velorio, Los tres Golpes MEXIQUE Manuel Ponce (1882-1948) Malgré tout Intermezzo No.1 BRESIL Heitor Villa-Lobos (1887-1959) Valsa da dor Alma Brasileira Oscar Lorenzo Fernández (1897-1948) Suite Brasileira No.2 ARGENTINE Alberto Ginastera (1916-1983) Milonga Danza del viejo boyero Danza de la moza donosa Astor Piazzolla (1921-1992) Café 1930, arr. pour piano de César de Gurbert Invierno Porteño, arr. pour piano de César de Gurbert EQUATEUR Gerardo Guevara (1930-2024) El Espantapájaros Fiesta VENEZUELA María Luisa Escobar (1903-1985) Noche de luna en Altamira Moisés Moleiro (1904-1979) Joropo |
César de Gurbert |
|
Pianist, composer and improviser César de Gurbert has built a varied career across classical performance, chamber music, composition and contemporary projects. He began studying piano at the age of five in Martinique with the Cuban pianist Olga Valiente, before continuing his training in mainland France at the Dordogne Departmental Conservatoire and the Bordeaux Regional Conservatoire. He has also worked with musicians including Mikhail Rudy, Nicolas Stavy and Luis Fernando Perez, while pursuing studies in composition and musical writing.
Latin American music has become an important part of his work. In 2024 he launched Piano Fuego, a solo recital project devoted to this repertoire, which has since toured in France and abroad. His debut album, Almendares, focuses on the music of Cuban composers Manuel Saumell and Ignacio Cervantes, alongside a wider project to bring lesser-known Latin American repertoire back into performance and publication.
Alongside his solo work, César performs regularly in chamber music and with orchestras, and has written music for theatre, film and podcast productions. His collaborations have also taken him into jazz, French song and contemporary music, both as a performer and arranger. Since 2026 he has been Artistic Director of Les Musicales du Caudeau in the Périgord.
He has also been commissioned by the Opéra National de Bordeaux to write concert programmes, particularly around Latin American repertoire, and to moderate discussions with visiting artists. He also teaches piano and leads workshops in improvisation, contemporary music and classical repertoire, while continuing to develop projects that bring together performance, composition and musical research.
Latin American music has become an important part of his work. In 2024 he launched Piano Fuego, a solo recital project devoted to this repertoire, which has since toured in France and abroad. His debut album, Almendares, focuses on the music of Cuban composers Manuel Saumell and Ignacio Cervantes, alongside a wider project to bring lesser-known Latin American repertoire back into performance and publication.
Alongside his solo work, César performs regularly in chamber music and with orchestras, and has written music for theatre, film and podcast productions. His collaborations have also taken him into jazz, French song and contemporary music, both as a performer and arranger. Since 2026 he has been Artistic Director of Les Musicales du Caudeau in the Périgord.
He has also been commissioned by the Opéra National de Bordeaux to write concert programmes, particularly around Latin American repertoire, and to moderate discussions with visiting artists. He also teaches piano and leads workshops in improvisation, contemporary music and classical repertoire, while continuing to develop projects that bring together performance, composition and musical research.