NextGen was privileged to host Gabriel Escudero Braquehais from Spain and Gen Li from the United Kingdom as members of the jury for the 2022 NGIPC. Please read their biographies below.
Gabriel Escudero Braquehais
Considered as one of the finest Spanish pianists of his generation, Gabriel Escudero
Braquehais combines his performing activity with his teaching at an international level.
Escudero has been invited to perform at important events and festivals in different parts
of Spain and in countries such as Austria, Bulgaria, China, Czech Republic, Finland,
Germany, Italy, Poland, USA, Sweden. He has performed in emblematic venues such as
the Carnegie Hall in New York, Musikverein in Vienna, Mozarteum in Salzburg,
Musikhalle in Hamburg, Smetana Hall in Prague, Instituto Cervantes in New York,
Scandinavian House in New York, The Historical Society Museum in New York,
Sibelius Museum in Turku, as well as in international festivals such as the Steinway
Piano Festival in Hamburg, Keys to the Future in New York, Sierra Musical in Madrid,
Armonie della Sera in Ancona, Cesky Krumlov International Festival in Czech
Republic, Extravaganza Piano Festival in Sofia, International Music Festival of
Burgos, International Music Festival of Almansa, … appearing solo and with Spanish or
foreign orchestras and groups such as the Kammerensamble of the Berlin Opera
Orchestra, Ensamble Les Amis from Shanghai, Karlovy Vary Symphony Orchestra,
Vogtland Philharmonie, Bohuslav Martinu Philharmonic, Orquesta Sinfónica de la
Región de Murcia, Trio Bacarisse, Camerata de Cartagena and Cartagena Symphony
Orchestra. He has recorded for RNE and TVE (Spain) WQXR New York Radio and
WFMT Chicago (USA) and Radio Bulgaria. Gabriel has recently joined Trio Quercus
as their official pianist.
Graduated from Mannes College, Manhattan School of Music and Sibelius Academy,
Escudero is a Doctor of Musical Arts since 2013. Gabriel has received numerous
national and international awards such as the Steinway & Sons Special Prize, as well as
First Prizes at the “Ciutat de Manresa” Piano Competition, “Infanta Cristina” Piano
Competition, or “Ciutat de Xativa” Piano Competition. In 2017, he was awarded the
Extraordinary Award from the “Entre Cuerdas y Metales” Competition for his musical
career. Throughout his artistic life he has worked with masters such as Ana Guijarro,
Eldar Nebolsin, Ilmo Ranta, Yefim Bronfman and Arkady Aronov, who have positively
influenced his pianism.
Deeply interested in piano pedagogy, Gabriel Escudero has worked at the Manhattan
School of Music in New York, the International School of Music Finland in Helsinki,
and the FaceArt Institute of Music in Shanghai. He has also given master classes in the
US, Spain, Finland, China and Hong-Kong. Most of his students have entered the most
important music schools and universities in the United States, such as Roosevelt
University in Chicago, Manhattan School of Music, Boston Conservatory, Curtis
Institute, Brigham Young University School of Music in Utah, and won national and
international competitions. At present, he carries out his pedagogical activity in Spain,
working at a Piano Chair at the Superior Music Conservatory in Murcia and at the
international school Musical Arts Madrid.
Gen Li
Gen Li performs at many of the world’s finest venues including Wigmore Hall, Cadogan Hall, the Purcell Room in London, Bridgewater Hall in Manchester, Grand Hall of Casa da Música in Portugal, Fazioli Concert Hall in Italy, receiving high praise from both the public and critics alike. BBC Radio 3 presenter Sean Rafferty described him as ‘the pianist with golden fingers’, after broadcasting his performance of Debussy Images.
He now regularly serves as a jury member of many international piano competitions. As a senior piano professor in the World Musicians League, he has been invited as a visiting professor to give masterclasses and concerts at the China Conservatory of Music (Beijing), Shanghai Conservatory of Music, visiting artists to judge the soloist competition in Trinity Laban Conservatory of Music and Dance. He performed and recorded piano concertos with the Armenian State Symphony Orchestra, Portuguese Philharmonic Orchestra, Roma State Symphony Orchestra, London Young Musicians Symphony Orchestra, Barnet Symphony Orchestra, Eastbourne Symphony Orchestra.