Described as “a dazzling musical spectacle” (Scherzo); “more than just virtuosity” (Pizzicato Lux); “fireworks over the 88 keys” (Westdeutsche Allgemeine Zeitung); “A revelation!” (Musique classique & Co), and “Everything is transparent, perfectly executed” (Gramophone UK).

The international career of Spanish-American pianist Juan Carlos Fernández-Nieto took off after a last-minute substitution performing Mozart’s Concerto No. 9 “Jeunehomme” at Carnegie Hall with The Chamber Orchestra of New York, resulting in an unprecedented success that led to immediate invitations for future seasons.

Recent and upcoming engagements include major international performances at the Klavier-Festival Ruhr, Carnegie Hall, Penderecki Music Centre, Krakow Filharmonia, St. James Piccadilly, Auditorio Manuel de Falla, Auditorio de Galicia, and Teatro Colón, among others. As a soloist, the upcoming season will see Juan Carlos Fernández-Nieto performing with orchestras in Europe and the United States, as well as recitals in Spain, Mexico, and the United Kingdom. He has performed throughout his native Spain, Europe, the United States, the UK, and Argentina, to name a few. As a soloist, he has played with orchestras such as the Spanish National Radio and Television Orchestra, The Chamber Orchestra of New York, the National Symphony Orchestra of Colombia, the Covent Garden Chamber Orchestra, the Valencia Orchestra, the Orchestra Sinfonica di Bari, the Castilla y León Symphony Orchestra, the City of Granada Orchestra, and the Gran Canaria Philharmonic Orchestra, among others. He has also performed at renowned venues including Carnegie Hall, Teatro de la Maestranza, Palau de la Música, Steinway Hall in both New York and London, St. James’s Piccadilly in London, Chicago Cultural Center, Royal Dublin Society, Kharkiv National Opera House, Krakow Philharmonic, and Silesian Philharmonic.

He performed at Yale’s centennial celebration of Messiaen, interpreting Vingt Regards sur l’Enfant-Jésus. A strong advocate for contemporary music, he has premiered works by Fernando Buide, Jesús Rueda, among others. He is also a frequent guest at European and U.S. festivals such as the Festival Internacional de Santander, The Holland Music Sessions, Norfolk Music at Yale, Stony Brook, and Wintergreen Performing Arts, collaborating with ensembles like the Tokyo String Quartet, Cuarteto Quiroga, and the Grammy-nominated Yale Cellos under Aldo Parisot.

Born in Salamanca, Spain, Juan Carlos Fernández-Nieto moved with his family to Figueres, Catalonia, shortly after his birth, spending his early years there. After relocating to Valladolid, he developed an interest in music, starting piano and violin lessons at the age of four. He made his orchestral debut at 16 with the City of Granada Orchestra, performing Mozart’s Concerto No. 20 under the baton of Lutz Köhler, in a concert broadcast live by Radio Nacional de España. His experience growing up in different regions of Spain and later immigrating to the United States has enriched his musical personality and interpretative style, known for its unique blend of passion, soul, and virtuosity. He studied in Spain under Claudio Martínez-Mehner and in the U.S. with Ursula Oppens and Boris Berman, earning degrees from City University of New York and Yale University.

Juan Carlos Fernández-Nieto has been awarded prizes at prestigious international competitions, including the Santander Paloma O’Shea International Piano Competition, Iturbi International Piano Competition, Jaén International Piano Competition, Young Artists Competition (CSMTA), and the Chamber Music Society of Yale. He has also received accolades such as the Yale Alumni Prize, George Miles Fellowship, and Linda & Alan Englander Fellowship. His performances have been featured on television and radio programs, including Deutschlandfunk, RNE Radio Nacional de España, Estudio 206, Programa de Mano, Los Conciertos de La2, Televisión Castilla y León, Cadena Cope, Cadena Ser, Ciudades Musicales, Radio Nacional de El Salvador, ORF1 Radio, and in specialized magazines like Fono Forum, Pizzicato, Ritmo, Scherzo, Melómano, and Gramophone UK.

Juan Carlos Fernández-Nieto released his debut album Carnaval, a Schumann monograph featuring both of the composer’s Carnavals, recorded on Odradek Records. His live album Vive la France!, recorded at the Klavier-Festival Ruhr, was released by CAvi-music. In 2022, he presented his latest album, Iberian Dances, recorded under IBS Classical, featuring works by Balakirev, Lyapunov, Albéniz, and Machavariani. Juan Carlos is the first Spanish pianist to record Islamey, the virtuosic tour de force by Mily Balakirev, earning him a nomination for the prestigious International Classical Music Awards.