Biography
Julian Avendaño is a classical pianist and educator with a Master’s degree in Piano Performance and Instrumental Pedagogy from the National University of Colombia, where he studied under Mac McClure, a student from Alicia de Larrocha. He is currently pursuing a Master’s degree in Piano Performance at Western Michigan University with Professor Lori Sims. Passionate about sharing the rich musical traditions of Latin America and Spain, Julian regularly incorporates these repertoires into his recitals. His love for piano pedagogy also plays a significant role in his career; he has been a piano teacher at the National University of Colombia and Suzuki schools in Bogota. He has teacher duties at Western Michigan University as part of his Graduate Assistantship and also is a teacher at Crescendo Academy in Kalamazoo. This dual commitment to performance and education has allowed him to become a versatile and dynamic artist.
In his performance career, his achievements include winning the Pianissimo Competition (Colombia) and the Charleston International Piano Competition (USA), as well as participating in prominent festivals such as the Cartagena International Music Festival (Colombia), Ibague Piano International Festival (Colombia), FEMUSC (Brasil), Brevard Music Center Festival (USA), University of Florida International Piano Festival (USA) and the Sewanee Summer Music Festival (USA), where he was a guest pianist at OperaFest 2022.
Julian has performed as a soloist and chamber musician in notable venues throughout Colombia and internationally. His performances have been featured in prestigious events, such as the Beethoven 7.30 program in Cali (Colombia) and the UIS International Piano Festival in Santander (Colombia). His dedication to promoting Latin American and Spanish music is central to his artistic mission, driven by a desire to connect audiences with the vibrant cultural heritage that inspires him, taking pride in sharing these unique repertoires with global audiences.
In addition to his performance and pedagogue career, Julian has served as an administrative coordinator in the Bogota Musical Internacional class at the National University of Colombia, where he had the duties of art administrator and pedagogue organizing music venues for the university, and being in charge of social media and live streaming events.