Aarón Ormaza Vera Aarón Ormaza Vera (1995, Ecuador) began playing the piano at an early age. He took lessons at the Conservatorio Sergei Rachmaninov for most of his life in his home city of Guayaquil, continuing his piano studies at the Faculty of Music of the Universidad de Especialidades Espíritu Santo, where he obtained his diploma in 2016. He was a student of Aliona Dziouba (2004 – 2013), María de los Ángeles Horta (2013), and Oleksandra Danylchenko (2014 – 2016) during his time in Ecuador. Beginning in 2016, he furthered his piano studies under the guidance of distinguished Dutch pedagogue Jan Wijn at the Conservatorium van Amsterdam, being one of his last students at the institution. Aarón successfully obtained his Bachelor diploma in 2020. Currently, he is following his Master studies at the Conservatorium van Amsterdam with teacher Frank van de Laar, with whom he has worked since 2020. While in the Netherlands, Aarón has performed many recitals both as a soloist and as a collaborative pianist, which has taken him to stages all around the country. During the season 2018-2019, he participated in the Koffie bij de piano concert series/competition in s’Hertogenbosch, where he obtained the 1st Publiekprijs, the 2nd Vriendenprijs, and the Madeleine Mastboom prize for the performance of a contemporary piece; moreover, he took part in the finals of Utopia Klassiek (Drunen), where he took the 2nd Publiekprijs. In the season of 2020-2021, he participated as a collaborative pianist for Dutch Classical Talent finalist Marion Dumeige, which saw him perform in some of the most important venues in the Netherlands (TivoliVredenburg, Muziekgebouw aan het ‘IJ, Muziekgebouw Eindhoven, Toonzaal Den Bosch, et al.). Alongside his studies and concerts, he has had coachings/masterclasses with Jeff Cohen, Jean-Baptiste Milon, Geoffrey Madge, Kelvin Grout, and Enrico Pace; in 2018-2020 he also studied fortepiano as a secondary subject with Olga Paschenko. Additionally, he has had the chance to accompany singing lessons, coachings, and stage rehearsals for the Dutch National Opera Academy, working with teachers Paul McNamara, Florence Daguerre de Hureaux, and Sasja Hunnengo. He has participated in international piano festivals in the United States (Texas State International Piano Festival, multiple years), and in Cuba (Musicalia, in La Habana), where he had the chance to play for such renowned teachers as: Enrico Elisi, Washington García, Jason Kwak, Marina Lomazov, Barry Snyder, Joseph Rackers, Antonio Carbonell, and Mauricio Vallina. In his home country, he had masterclasses with Timon Altwegg, Hervé Billaut, and Raphael Lustchevsky. Growing up in Ecuador, Aarón partook in the most important competitions of his country at the time, being awarded First Prize in the Jóvenes Talentos Competition in Cuenca (2007, 2013, 2016), Classical Music Competition of the Centro Cultural Ecuatoriano-Alemán in Guayaquil (2007, where he was also awarded the Grand Prize), and the II Chopin Competition of Ecuador (2016). Additionally, he participated as a soloist in variety recitals in the cities of Guayaquil, Quito, Cuenca, and Ambato. Aarón performed frequently as a soloist with the now defunct Youth Symphony Orchestra of Guayaquil, mainly under the baton of Patricio Jaramillo, with whom he performed concerti by Isaak Berkovich, Franz Joseph Haydn, Ludwig van Beethoven, Edvard Grieg and Franz Liszt. In 2012 he had his debut with the Guayaquil Symphony Orchestra, in collaboration with conductor Fernando Valcárcel, with the First Piano Concerto of Franz Liszt. Being the youngest in a family of 5 musicians, Aarón performed early on as a collaborative pianist and as a chamber musician, working mainly with singers and string instruments, as well as woodwinds, brass, and percussion. In addition, he worked as an accompanist for the Opera class and the singing studio of Sergiy Ashyfman during his studies in Ecuador. REPERTOIRE and TIMESCHEDULE Quarter Finals > Thursday 10 February | 11:45 – 12:25 hrs | Bimhuis K. van Baaren Sonatina W. Pijper Sonatina no. 3 L. Brouwer Boceto no. 2 ‘Rene Portocarrero’ E. Lecuona Suite de Danzas Afrocubanas: 1. La conga de medianoche L. van Beethoven Sonata no. 21 in C major, op. 53 ‘Waldstein’ Semi Final > Wednesday 16 February | 10:00 – 11:00 hrs | Bimhuis F. Chopin Ballade no. 4 in F minor, op. 52 D. Shostakovich Prelude and Fugue in D minor, op. 87/24 I. Albéniz Iberia, book 2 – no. 3 Triana J. Brahms Horn Trio in E flat major, op. 40 Final R. Namavar Ti’afa’a R. Schumann Piano Concerto in A minor, op. 54