Bio
GEWA
“With his outstanding musical maturity, his sophisticated technique and his colourful, poetic playing, Álvaro inspires his audience.”
Professional Curriculum
Álvaro Baltanás-Meliveo has been described by the German specialist press as “a pianist who makes no compromises and certainly does not cater to the mainstream. When Álvaro Baltanás takes to the stage, he gives absolutely everything, striving for the greatest possible authenticity and bringing his innermost self to the surface” (Piano News Magazine), and praised for his “extraordinary musical maturity, refined technique, and colourful, poetic interpretation” (GEWA).
His cultivated sound, commanding stage presence, and insatiable curiosity have led him to explore a repertoire spanning from the Renaissance to the 21st century, with a particular focus on the Spanish piano tradition. Over the past years, he has established himself as one of the most committed advocates for Spanish piano music beyond its borders. From his home in Germany, he actively champions the works of composers such as Soler, Albéniz, Falla, Mompou, and Viñes, combining performance with cultural projects, teaching, and a distinctive approach to artistic research.
Baltanás’s interpretative style blends artistic intuition with analytical depth, drawing on semiotic and narrative perspectives to illuminate the structures, meanings, and expressive possibilities of the works he performs. This commitment will reach a milestone in 2026 with the recording of his debut solo album for the prestigious British label SOMM Recordings, devoted entirely to Spanish music and conceived as a narrative journey across several centuries of Iberian repertoire.
He has performed widely across Europe — in major halls and at leading festivals — as both soloist and chamber musician, collaborating with orchestras such as the Symphoniker Hamburg and the Málaga Symphony Orchestra, under the baton of conductors including Michael Thomas, Barbara Dragan, Francisco de Gálvez, and Constantin Schaffner. His festival appearances include the Emil Gilels Festival (Germany), Sermoneta Music Festival (Italy), and the Festival de Jovens Pianistes (Portugal).
Born in Málaga, he earned a Master’s degree at the University of Leipzig and completed the Konzertexamen — Germany’s highest artistic degree — with distinction at the Hochschule für Musik und Theater Hamburg under Stepan Simonian. A defining period in his artistic development was his four years of intensive study with the legendary pianist Eliso Virsaladze in Florence. He has also received guidance from eminent artists such as Robert Levin, Andrei Gavrilov, Andrej Jasinski, and Leonidas Kavakos. From 2018 to 2023, Álvaro held a teaching position at the Hochschule für Musik und Theater Hamburg.
Baltanás is a GEWA Artist and a recipient of scholarships from the international organisation Live Music Now!. In addition to his concert career, he is the founder and artistic director of a concert series in the German city of Greiz, where he curates and performs programmes that reflect his ongoing dedication to Spanish and Iberian repertoire, approached with both intellectual rigour and a deep sense of expressive freedom.