"A sizzling musical experience. His joyous and virtuosic performance brought the audience immediately to its feet." (Ray Cornils, Portland Town Hall, presenter, ME, 2009)
"An artist of the highest order. He brought elegance and a uniquely Spanish perspective to the music. Everything was played from memory and was flawless. Our audience rose to its feet with applause at every opportunity." (Thomas Lee Bailey, St. Peter's by-the Sea Church, Bay Shore NY, presenter)
"The best concert here in years...Raúl Prieto extracted the full potential of the organ and maintained such a high level of playing that the audience jumped to a standing ovation. Raúl holds his audience and enthuses them." (el Punt de Mataró, Barcelona)
"One of the most brilliant and talented organists on the international concert scene." (with the Perm Philharmonic Orchestra, Perm News, Russia)
"An extraordinary mix of transcendent virtuosity, technical skill and intellectual control, and a genuine Mediterranean sense of musicality. His interpretations, all of the highest level, demonstrated great artistic maturity, security, and eloquence--something possible only in musicians who have raised their art to an existential level." (Fabrica del Duomo de Milano, Italy)
"The apotheosis of organ performance....Ramirez sets the standard." (Correo Gallego, Santiago de Compostel, Spain)
"Raul Prieto Ramirez brings the organ out of the shadows." (ABC, Madrid)
"An organist of great sensitivity who plays from memory, with a clear and transparent phrasing and a polished technique. A magnificent concert."
(Maite Grau, Vilassar Magazine, Barcelona)
"A musician of impressive versatility and mature understanding for such a young performer."
(Le Monde, Spain)
"Able to give a defined personality to each interpretation, whether the piece belonged to the 16th, 17th or even the 21st century."
(el Norte de Castilla, Spain)
"Many interpreters approach the work of J.S.Bach in a sort of mechanical fashion, which often prevents capturing the essence of this music. Raúl Prieto did not fall into that trap." (Le Monde, Spain)
Raúl Prieto Ramírez
concert organist
Tours
October/November 2011
March 2012 & Summer2012
plus additional availability possible on demand
Raúl Prieto Ramírez is the first Organist-in-Residence at the Auditorio Nacional de Musica in Madrid, Spain's national concert hall. When he was appointed at age 27 he increased attendance at the hall's organ recitals by a multiple of 30 during the first six months.
His special appeal to audiences and critics alike owes much to his thrilling performances, given entirely from memory, which combine dazzling virtuosity with great expressive power.
His performances on YouTube are being enjoyed by an ever-growing international network of devotees. At his annual recital on the largest organ in Catalonia, at the Basilica in Mataro, Spain, he regularly draws an audience of over a thousand.
At the age of eleven Raúl became fascinated by the organ in a local church and for the next five years taught himself to play while pursuing all the information he could find about the instrument in libraries. When he enrolled at Salamanca University to study philosophy, he came across the ideas of the great conductor Sergiu Celibidache and felt such a deep impact that he decided to devote his life to music.
He studied piano with Leonid Sintsev at the Rimsky-Korsakov Conservatory in St. Petersburg, organ with Ludgar Lohmann at the Hochschule für Musik in Stuttgart, and participated in master classes with Marie-Claire Alain, Guy Bovet, Lionel Rogg, Eric Lebrun, Szigmon Szathmáry, and L. F. Tagliavini.
Raúl's passion is to raise the appreciation and understanding of the organ as a musical instrument through exciting performances, multi-media presentations, audience participation, and use of the internet.
He has performed with the Spanish National Orchestra, the Castilla y Leon Symphony Orchestra, and the National Spanish Choir. He was the organist for, and an actor in, a film featured at over 300 cinema festivals around the world in 2008.
His first two compact disc releases on the Actus label in autumn 2009 were recorded at Santiago de Compostela in Spain and at Milan Cathedral in Italy.
“A hit!….As an iconoclastic performer he instantly connected with the audience. All repertoire was played from memory with artistic grace, clear articulation, and with excitement.” (Helen VanAbema Rodgers, St. James Church, Fairhope AL, presenter)
“While I perceive that he sees himself as something of a maverick or iconoclast, his playing is impeccable and his musicianship solid. We had a thoroughly wonderful experience.” (Kenneth Karadin, Christ Church, Pensacola FL, presenter)