BIOGRAPHY

Argentine American pianist Gustavo A. Tolosa holds a Doctor of Musical Arts in Piano Performance degree with a concentration in Music Theory (D.M.A.) from the Eastman School of Music (University of Rochester, NY). He also earned an M.M. (Master of Music with a specialty in piano performance) from the University of Redlands (California) and a B.A. (Bachelor of Arts in piano performance) from Abilene Christian University (Texas).

During the three years that he studied at Eastman, his teachers were Barry Snyder, Nelita True and Natalya Antonova. Dr. Tolosa also served as a music theory/ear training teaching assistant at Eastman as well as in the Department of Music at the University of Rochester. He also taught piano at the Hochestein School of Music and Dance. He performed numerous times in concerts as a soloist, chamber musician and with orchestra. On two occasions, the concerts were broadcast live on WXXI-FM radio. In one of them he performed with his mother, Raquel Rigotti, the work for two pianos and orchestra “The Carnival of the Animals” by Camille Saint-Saëns with the Symphony Orchestra of the University of Rochester. This concert was presented as a celebration of the anniversary of the Organization of American States (OAS).

In Rochester, he also served on juries at various piano competitions and gave master classes at various music associations. Dr. Tolosa’s varied repertoire encompasses the works of the great Baroque, classical, romantic, impressionist, modern and contemporary composers, including Argentine classical and popular music, as well as electronic music written by women composers.

With orchestras, he has performed Beethoven’s “Triple Concerto” and “The Emperor”, Grieg’s Piano Concerto and piano concerti by Mozart, Haydn and Handel among many others.

In the city of Dallas (Texas) he formed the chamber music group “Dallas Chamber Players” with the Ukrainian violinist Inga Kroll and the American cellist Heather Montcrief with whom, in 2013, he recorded the CD “Greetings from Argentina”, which contains the “Four Seasons in Buenos Aires” by Astor Piazzolla and works for piano solo by Carlos Guastavino.

Dr. Tolosa founded the non-profit organization “Musical Angels, Inc.” which provides piano and guitar lessons to hospitalized children, thus helping patients to recover and improve the quality of daily life. He founded the Dallas Music Academy, which offers lessons in piano, guitar, voice, violin, and other instruments to students of all ages and levels.

During his long career as a teacher, he has served as a professor at various universities such as Abilene Christian University, University of Redlands, University of Rochester, Brookhaven College and Northlake College among others.

Dr. Tolosa has given more than 700 concerts and master classes in Argentina, the United States, Spain, England, China, Singapore, Finland, Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania.

He began his piano studies at the age of eight with Maestro Emilio Alessio, who guided the young pianist from the age of 8 to 22, at which point he received a scholarship to study in the United States.

During his career in Argentina, he performed in “Home Concerts” as well as in several theaters such as “Teatro Real,” “Luis de Tejeda Auditorium”, the “Genaro Perez Museum”, as well as with the Municipal Chamber Orchestra of Córdoba directed by Maestro Herbert Diehl, on two occasions.

In Buenos Aires he performed at the “Teatro San Martín”, at the “Yamaha Auditorium”, at the YMCA, and in 1986 he obtained an audition at the “Teatro Colón” to perform with the Symphony Orchestra. However, having received the scholarship offer to study in the United States, he decided to leave Argentina to pursue his career in the U.S.A.

Winner of several piano and composition contests, Dr. Tolosa currently offers private coaching sessions and master classes in person and online. Two other offerings available are: recitals online or in person (piano solo or piano & violin or piano & voice); educational performances online for colleges and universities. For more information, please visit the “Performances” page.

To schedule a private coaching session (in person or online), contact Dr. Tolosa through the “Contact” page on the website www.GustavoTolosa.com.