AGUSTÍ FERNÁNDEZ (Barcelona, Spain)
4 November @10.00-12.00 & 13.00-15.00 in C-405
5 November @9.30-11.30 & 12.15-14.00 in C-405
6 November @10.30-12.30 & 13.30-15.30 in C-405

Agustí Fernández (Palma de Mallorca, 1954) is one of Spain’s leading pianists and composers, internationally acclaimed as a pioneering figure in improvised and avant-garde music. Combining a profound knowledge of twentieth-century classical music with jazz and free improvisation, he has developed a distinctive artistic voice that has earned him worldwide recognition. As The Village Voice (New York) noted, he is “one of the most important explorers of avant-garde music in Spain.”

Throughout his career, Fernández has collaborated with many of the world’s leading improvisers, including Derek Bailey, Evan Parker, Barry Guy, Mats Gustafsson, Peter Evans, Peter Kowald, and Butch Morris. He has been a member of ensembles such as the London Jazz Composers Orchestra and Blue Shroud Band, and has released more than 150 recordings.

Alongside his work as a performer, Fernández is an active composer and conductor of improvised ensembles. His collaboration with composer Héctor Parra resulted in FREC, a work for expanded piano that premiered at the Huddersfield Contemporary Music Festival in 2013.

His artistic achievements have been recognised with numerous awards, including the Ciutat de Barcelona Music Award (2010) and the National Prize of Culture of Catalonia (2013). His recordings have received international critical acclaim, and in 2011 he was the subject of the documentary film Los dedos huéspedes by Lucas Caraba.

A dedicated educator, Fernández was Professor of Improvised Music at the Escola Superior de Música de Catalunya (ESMUC) from 2001 to 2022. He has given masterclasses and taught at leading institutions including IRCAM in Paris, the Royal Conservatoire in The Hague, the Estonian Academy of Music and Theatre, and numerous conservatoires and music academies across Europe.