In this episode of The Piano Pod, Mastering Musical Heritage—Exploring Spanish Piano Traditions and Embracing Puerto Rican Identity, I had the privilege of speaking with José Ramos Santana, a Steinway Artist and one of the foremost interpreters of Spanish and Latin American piano music. This conversation is a deep dive into the passion, heritage, and evolution of Spanish and Caribbean piano traditions.
From the expressive genius of Albéniz, Granados, and de Falla to the rich cultural legacy of Puerto Rican composers, José shares his insights on interpreting this repertoire with authenticity and heart. He reflects on his journey from Puerto Rico to Juilliard, the mentorship of Alicia de Larrocha, and his ongoing mission to mentor the next generation of pianists through meaningful cultural connection.
🎶 In this episode, we discuss:
- The influence of ethnomusicologist Felipe Pedrell on Spanish composers
- The improvisational nature of Granados’ music
- José’s reflections on Alicia de Larrocha’s legacy
- The 10th anniversary of the Puerto Rico International Piano Festival
- Latin American composers like Manuel Tavares, Ignacio Cervantes, and Roberto Sierra
- The importance of embracing cultural identity in piano education
Whether you are a pianist, music educator, or classical music enthusiast, José’s wisdom and passion will inspire and enlighten you.
👉👉 Learn more about this episode HERE. 👈👈
✨ VIP Substack subscribers get early access to the audio version: subscribe here.
🗣️ I’d love to hear your thoughts. How has Spanish or Latin American music influenced your musical path? Leave a comment and join the conversation!
[Jose Ramos Santana]
Watch José Ramos Santana perform Evocación from Iberia, Book 1 by Isaac Albéniz
[The Piano Pod]
- Support Our Work: Make a donation
- Subscribe to our Sounds of Inspiration (all the music and piano pieces mentioned during our conversations)
- Latest News
- Website
Popular Podcasts
NFL Daily with Gregg Rosenthal
Gregg Rosenthal and a rotating crew of elite NFL Media co-hosts, including Patrick Claybon, Colleen Wolfe, Steve Wyche, Nick Shook and Jourdan Rodrigue of The Athletic get you caught up daily on all the NFL news and analysis you need to be smarter and funnier than your friends.
On Purpose with Jay Shetty
I’m Jay Shetty host of On Purpose the worlds #1 Mental Health podcast and I’m so grateful you found us. I started this podcast 5 years ago to invite you into conversations and workshops that are designed to help make you happier, healthier and more healed. I believe that when you (yes you) feel seen, heard and understood you’re able to deal with relationship struggles, work challenges and life’s ups and downs with more ease and grace. I interview experts, celebrities, thought leaders and athletes so that we can grow our mindset, build better habits and uncover a side of them we’ve never seen before. New episodes every Monday and Friday. Your support means the world to me and I don’t take it for granted — click the follow button and leave a review to help us spread the love with On Purpose. I can’t wait for you to listen to your first or 500th episode!
Dateline NBC
Current and classic episodes, featuring compelling true-crime mysteries, powerful documentaries and in-depth investigations. Follow now to get the latest episodes of Dateline NBC completely free, or subscribe to Dateline Premium for ad-free listening and exclusive bonus content: DatelinePremium.com