Juan Avendaño

Pianist Juan Sebastian Avendaño has performed in his native Colombia in addition to Brazil, and the United States as soloist, chamber musician and collaborative pianist. In 2015, he was awarded first prize of the Concerto Competition hosted by the Cali Philharmonic, and winner of the Jaqueline Avent Concerto Competition 2015 in Tennessee. Avendaño holds a first prize in piano accompaniment at the Vocal National Competition hosted by the Bogota Philharmonic Orchestra, an honorable mention in the Western Michigan Concerto Competition 2018 and has been winner in two consecutive years of the Young Artist competition of the Banco de la Republica in Colombia. He has also accumulated many performance experiences, attending several music festivals such as Bowdoin International Music Festival (Maine), Gilmore International Keyboard Festival (Michigan), Sewanee Summer Music Festival (Tennessee), Cartagena International Music Festival (Colombia), Femusc (Brazil).

Currently, Juan serves as collaborative pianist for the Ad Astra Music Festival and as an Adjunct Professor at Western Michigan University, institution where he earned a master’s degree in Piano Performance as a Phyllis Rappeport Opera Fellow under the tutelage of renowned pianist Lori Sims.