Our Teaching Team

The teaching team is composed of active professionals who share a common educational philosophy: learning music through experience, enjoyment, and close guidance. The approach is based on personalized instruction that respects each student’s pace and combines technical rigor with creativity and artistic expression.

The faculty includes specialists in piano, guitar, cello, drums, voice, saxophone, clarinet, and repertory coaching, all with extensive experience on stage, in recording studios, and in educational projects. This diversity of profiles enriches every class and enables students to explore different approaches, styles, and perspectives on music.

Teaching is carried out in a coordinated manner so that each student feels supported by a cohesive team: objectives are shared, ideas are exchanged, and consistent learning pathways are designed. In this way, learning here means having specialists from multiple disciplines at one’s side, united by a single purpose: promoting musical development with confidence, motivation, and a solid foundation for ongoing progress.

Specialties offered:

• 🎹 Piano
• 🎹 Piano Repetiteur
• 🎻 Cello / Baroque Cello
• 🎸 Classical and Electric Guitar
• 🥁 Drums
• 🎺 Saxophone and Clarinet
• 🎤 Singing

Inspiring faculty drawn from leading international conservatories and world-class orchestras.

TEACHERS

 They guide each student in developing a unique musical identity, combining technical rigor, artistic vision, and real stage experience. Their classes integrate performance, career management, and interdisciplinary work, offering close and demanding guidance to meet the professional challenges of today's musical world. Each teacher has a solid international career and a strong pedagogical vocation.

Nati Ballarín – Artistic Director 🇪🇸 Spain

Renowned pianist, composer, and cultural visionary, Nati Ballarín brings music to life on international stages across Europe, the Americas, and Asia. Her teaching nurtures each student's unique artistic voice, combining technical mastery, creative expression, and authentic stage experience.

As founder and artistic director of festivals like the World Music Connecti-On Festival and the M88K International Piano Competition, Nati inspires emerging talent while shaping innovative cultural projects that connect artists and audiences worldwide.

With over 100 of her students awarded in international competitions, her pedagogical work has consistently fostered excellence and recognition on the global stage.

Discography Highlights:

• Con el corazón (Dúo Ballarín-Szlapa)

• Symphony of Serenity I & II

Celebrated for her elegance, expressive depth, and stage charisma, Nati Ballarín transforms every performance and teaching moment into an unforgettable artistic experience.

Piano Faculty

1) Natsuki Nishimoto – Piano
🇯🇵 Japan

Natsuki Nishimoto, from Furano (Hokkaido), graduated from Waseda University and the Tokyo University of the Arts. In Spain, she completed a master's at the Escola Superior de Música de Catalunya and the Conservatorio Superior de Música de Castelló. She has a special affinity for Spanish and Latin American repertoire and has won numerous awards, including First Prize at the I San Giovanni Teatino International Piano Competition, Second Prize at the VI Campillos International Piano Competition, Second Prize at the 2015 Malta International Piano Competition, Third Prize at the XIII "Compositores Españoles" International Piano Competition, and Third Prize at the XV José Roca International Piano Competition.

Several contemporary composers have dedicated works to her. In 2012, Russian composer Nikolai Kapustin dedicated two piano duo pieces to her: Three for Two Op. 145 and Capriccio Op. 146, premiered in 2014 by her piano duo, piaNA. In 2018, Spanish composer Pascual Gimeno dedicated Concierto-Estudios de Ritmo, Books 2, and she recorded Books 1 & 2 for their world premiere, released by ALM Records in 2020.

She has collaborated with numerous orchestras, including the Çukurova State Symphony Orchestra, Nordrhein-Westfalen Chamber Orchestra, Tokyo Philharmonic, and Osaka Symphony Orchestra. In 2017, she premiered Kapustin's Sixth Piano Concerto in Europe with the Barcelona City Wind Orchestra, broadcast on Catalunya Radio.

In 2018, she contributed to the album Le Tombeau de Claude Debussy, selected as "tokusenban" (editor's pick) by Record Geijutsu. Nishimoto continues her diverse career as a soloist and chamber musician, following her own distinctive artistic path.

2) Pedro López – Piano
🇪🇸 Spain

Pedro López Salas, from Albacete, Spain, is a pianist with a distinguished international career. He has won over 40 national and international awards, including Second Prize at the International Paderewski Piano Competition (Poland), First Prize at the CIPCE International Piano Competition (Madrid), First Prize at the Malta International Piano Competition, and First Prize at the César Franck International Competition (Brussels). He has also been a finalist in prestigious competitions such as the Chopin Competition in Warsaw and the Cliburn Competition (Fort Worth).

🏆 Academic Honors
Pedro has received academic distinctions including Steinway Scholar, Bechstein Scholar, and Leverhulme Honorary Arts Scholar at the Royal College of Music in London, as well as the Extraordinary National Education Award and other academic merit honors.

He is currently completing the Concert Diploma at the Reina Sofía School of Music under Stanislav Ioudenitch. He previously studied at the Royal College of Music, London, earning the Artist Diploma and Master of Performance with top marks under Vanessa Latarche and Norma Fisher.

🌍 International Performances
Pedro has performed in major venues and festivals across Europe, Asia, Africa, and Australia, including Lutosławski Concert Hall (Warsaw), TivoliVredenburg (Utrecht), Wiener Festsaal (Vienna), Stoller Hall (Manchester), Gulangyu Concert Hall (Xiamen), and the Mohammed VI Theatre (Casablanca). In Spain, he has performed at the Palau de la Música (Valencia), Teatro de la Maestranza (Seville), and Auditorio Manuel de Falla (Granada).

As a soloist, he has collaborated with top orchestras such as the Galicia Symphony Orchestra, Valencia Orchestra, Royal Seville Symphony Orchestra, Castilla y León Symphony, and international ensembles in Poland and Morocco. Critics highlight his artistic maturity, stage presence, and expressive capacity, describing him as "a true soloist, almost a conductor" (Revista Ritmo).

3) Nazareno Ferruggio – Piano
🇮🇹 Italy

Born in Bari, Italy, in 1981, Nazareno Ferruggio is recognized as one of the most refined Italian pianists of his generation. He began his musical studies early and graduated with top honors from the Conservatorio Niccolò Piccinni in Bari. He continued his studies at the Musikhochschule Mannheim (Germany) and Musikhochschule Bern (Switzerland), and participated in masterclasses with internationally renowned teachers.

Ferruggio made his solo debut with the Orchestra Sinfonica di Bari performing Beethoven's Fantasia for Chorus and Orchestra. Throughout his career, he has won eighteen first prizes in national and international competitions, including the Ibla Grand Prize (with special recognition for Debussy interpretations) and the Liszt Special Prize at the Grieg International Piano Competition in Oslo.

He has performed on five continents, in major concert halls and classical music festivals, including Carnegie Hall (New York), Wiener Saal (Salzburg), Palau de la Música (Valencia), Teatro Municipal de Lima, and the Conservatori Municipal de Música de Barcelona.

In addition to performing, Ferruggio teaches as a visiting professor at leading institutions in South Korea, Norway, Mexico, and Europe, extending his artistic influence beyond the concert stage.

His musical approach combines technical precision with expressive depth, engaging diverse audiences and covering a repertoire from classical masters to contemporary composers.

Alfons Rochera – Cello & Baroque Cello
🇪🇸 Spain

Trained in Spain, the United States, Poland, and Belgium, Alfons Rochera has developed a distinguished career as a cellist in baroque, classical, and electric cello. His artistic versatility has allowed him to perform as a soloist and chamber musician on international stages, as well as collaborate with renowned orchestras, including the Orquesta y Coro Nacionales de España, Orquesta Filarmonía de Madrid, Gulf Port Orchestra (Mississippi, USA), and the Prague Philharmonic Orchestra.

His concert activity spans Europe, the Americas, and Asia, establishing a broad international presence characterized by a diverse repertoire and exploration of new sonic possibilities.

💿 Recording Project
He recently completed his first double album, Sérénade, with guitarist Darío González Ivars. This project features original arrangements for cello and guitar of works by Manuel de Falla, Claude Debussy, Maurice Ravel, and Guerola, reflecting his interest in the dialogue between tradition and contemporary creation.

Darío González Ivars – Classical & Electric Guitar
🇪🇸 Spain

Darío González Ivars combines multiple musical disciplines, from reinterpreting historical music heritage to contemporary creation and commissioning new works, while also working as a session musician and producer. His concert career includes performances at prestigious venues such as the Auditori de Barcelona, Palau de la Música de València, ADDA Alicante, Teatro Infanta Leonor de Jaén, Teatro Auditorio de Cuenca "José Luis Perales," and Palau Centre d'Arts d'Altea, performing up to seventy concerts and recordings annually.

🎓 Education
He began classical guitar studies in 2005 at the Escuela Municipal de Música y Danza de Calp Mestre Penella, later becoming a teacher there. He continued at the Conservatorio Profesional de Música de Xàbia, earning First Prize in the IV Interpretation Competition and the Final Professional Degree Award.

Between 2014 and 2019, he completed his Higher Degree and Master's in Classical Guitar Performance with Ignacio Rodes at the Conservatorio Superior de Música "Óscar Esplá" de Alicante, graduating with top marks. He has also studied with prominent guitarists such as Ricardo Gallén, Carles Trepat, and Alí Arango.

🌍 Recent Projects
In 2023–2024, he worked as a session guitarist on Nuria Fergó's Amb Permís tour and participated in the 2024 presentation of La Maria's album L'Assumpció at the Auditori de Barcelona. He records most of his productions at Farkosten Studios with producer and musician Mattias Eklund. With the Aria Guitar Duo, he has debuted at international guitar and chamber music festivals.

In 2024, he began specialized studies in Baroque and Renaissance plucked string instruments at the Conservatorio Profesional de Música de Torrent and regularly collaborates with the Ensemble Duna, led by Eduard Navarro.

In 2025, he released the album Sérénade with cellist Alfons Rochera, featuring his own transcriptions of works by Falla, Ravel, and Debussy, and participated in the recording of La Maria's Robina, awarded at the Ovidi Montllor Awards 2025. This project was performed at the State Funeral for the DANA victims, broadcast nationally. In 2026, the Robina tour will include performances at the Palau de les Arts.

He combines his artistic activity with teaching, serving as guitar, chamber music, and ensemble professor at the Conservatorio Profesional de Música de Meliana (Valencia).

Eugenia Boix – Classical Voice
🇪🇸 Spain

Born in Monzón (Huesca), Eugenia Boix earned her Professional Degree in Voice locally and the Extraordinary End-of-Course Award at the Conservatorio Superior de Música de Salamanca, where she studied with Mª Ángeles Triana and Javier San Miguel. She continued her training with a postgraduate degree at ESMUC under Enedina Lloris and a Lied master's at the Conservatoire Royal de Bruxelles with leading figures including Julius Drake, Mitsuko Shirai, Wolfram Rieger, Felicity Lott, Edith Wiens, and Udo Reinemann. She has refined her vocal and stylistic technique with masters such as Teresa Berganza, Carlos Chausson, Pedro Lavirgen, Carlos Mena, Eduardo López Banzo, and David Menéndez.

🏆 Awards and Recognition

• 2007: First Prize, Montserrat Caballé–Bernabé Martí Scholarships

• 2009–2010: Scholarship from H.M. Queen Sofía

• 2012: Semifinalist, Operalia Competition (Plácido Domingo), Beijing

She has performed under renowned conductors including Sir Neville Marriner, Kazushi Ono, Victor Pablo Pérez, Paul Goodwin, Lionel Bringuier, Federico Maria Sardelli, Aarón Zapico, Eduardo López Banzo, Carlos Mena, and Rubén Gimeno. Her symphonic-choral repertoire includes Mozart and Fauré Requiems, Beethoven's Ninth Symphony, Handel's Messiah, Mahler's Fourth Symphony, Orff's Carmina Burana, and Bach's Christmas Oratorio.

🎭 Operatic Repertoire
Pamina (Die Zauberflöte), Susanna (Le nozze di Figaro), Norina (Don Pasquale), Adina (L'elisir d'amore), Amina (La sonnambula), Corinna (Il viaggio a Reims) at Teatro Real, Woglinde (Das Rheingold), and various roles in Baroque works by Purcell, Handel, Nebra, Durón, and Literes.

She has given recitals across Europe, Russia, and the Americas, with recordings for Radio Nacional de España, Radio Clásica, Catalunya Música, the BBC, and Rádio Clássica Portuguesa. Her extensive discography includes collaborations with La Grande Chapelle, Forma Antiqva, La Ritirata, Los Músicos de Su Alteza, and La Tempestad, highlighting both Baroque repertoire and innovative projects focused on recovering historical musical heritage and works by historical female composers.

Fernando Lleyda – Clarinet & Saxophone
🇪🇸 Spain

Fernando Lleyda is a professional musician specializing in clarinet and saxophone, recognized for his stylistic versatility and artistic solidity. His work spans jazz, folk-rooted music, Sephardic repertoire, and contemporary projects, allowing him to develop a distinct and recognizable musical voice.

🎵 Collaborations and Projects
He has collaborated with numerous ensembles and projects, including Escoria Oriental, Acetileno, Deva Soul Band, Grooveland Trio, Llave de Paso, Jazz for Kids, Huesca Big Band, Gradus Jazz, Durme, Giant Steps Sax Quartet, Dixi Rue del Percebe, Teatro Che y Moche, and Vicky Lafuente Band, as well as extensive work as a guest musician in live and studio settings.

He has performed at major festivals and venues in Spain and internationally, such as Expo Milano 2015, Auditorio de Zaragoza, Palacio de Congresos de Huesca, Panticosa International Festival, Graus International Performing Arts Festival, Camino de Santiago International Festival, Instituto Cervantes Casablanca, and festivals in France, Italy, Germany, Poland, and Morocco. His concert activity also includes tours across Spain with support from the Government of Aragón and regular participation in the Aragón Network of Performing Arts Spaces.

💿 Discography
His recordings include collaborations on Folklore Jazz (Gradus Jazz), Lejaím (Durme), X años de Huesca Big Band, Casawasqa XXI (Banda Sinfónica de Aragón), as well as projects with Grooveland Trio, Deva Soul Band, Belentuela, and Ninjazz Mission.

In parallel with his artistic career, he teaches clarinet at the Conservatorio Profesional de Música de Monzón, combining technical excellence with a broad and creative vision of musical education.

Álvaro Diez – Drums
🇪🇸 Spain

Destiny called with a drumbeat. At just seven years old, Álvaro Diez Fernández heard Miguel Ríos and knew rhythm would be the heartbeat of his life. Born in Barakaldo in 1975, he went from banging on pots and breaking rules at school to receiving, at twelve, his first treasure: a second-hand Maxtone drum kit. This was the first step in an unstoppable musical journey.

🎓 Education
Trained in Bilbao with mentors like Blas Fernández and Ricardo Cantera, he later moved to Madrid to study with masters Pepe Sánchez and Antonio Calero. His groove energized iconic venues such as Bluesbar Beethoven and El Moe.

After touring Spain with his drumsticks, he settled in Valencia to continue his studies under renowned percussionist Yoel Páez, refining both technique and expressiveness. He completed his Professional Degree at the Conservatorio de Jávea and earned certification from Trinity College.

🥁 Rhythm in His Blood
Now based in Pego (Alicante), Álvaro combines teaching with an intense performing career, exploring jazz, pop-rock, and dixieland with the mastery of a lifetime devoted to rhythm. A teacher whose pulse is in his veins and soul in his sticks.

Antonio Ballestín – Piano & Repetiteur
🇪🇸 Spain

Born in Zaragoza in 1977, Antonio Ballestín is a versatile pianist, composer, and arranger whose work spans classical music, jazz, and contemporary creation. In Barcelona, he studied Art History and Musicology while training in classical piano with Miquel Farré. He expanded his studies in jazz and composition with Guillermo Klein and Joan Albert Amargós.

🎓 International Education
In the Netherlands, he graduated in Jazz Composition and Arrangements and earned a Master's in Contemporary Classical Composition under Paul van Brugge, funded by the Dutch Government (Nuffic). He later completed a Master's in Film Music at London City University.

Antonio's music has been performed at festivals and venues in the Netherlands, Bulgaria, UK, Japan, Belgium, Spain, Ukraine, and Korea, including De Doelen (Rotterdam), L'Auditori de Barcelona, Auditorio de Zaragoza, and Instituto Cervantes Tokyo. His works are part of academic programs at institutions such as the Koninklijk Conservatorium Den Haag, Zürcher Hochschule der Künste, Escuela Superior de Música Reina Sofía, and Conservatorio Superior de Música de Aragón.

🎼 International Recognition
He has received commissions and performances from ensembles including the Rotterdam Symphonic Jazz Orchestra, Bulgarian National Radio Orchestra & Big Band, Orquestra de Cambra Catalana, West Coast Big Band, and various soloists and international ensembles. As a pianist and composer, he has collaborated with singers like Eugenia Boix, Isaac Galán, and the choir Amici Musicae.

In 2004, he founded and directs the jazz ensemble Bitácora, blending jazz, contemporary music, and folk traditions. He is also active in interdisciplinary audiovisual and theater projects and teaches composition, music history, and piano accompaniment in conservatories across Aragón.

🏆 Awards and Publications
Antonio has received international composition awards including Federico Mompou and Itali Pas. His works are published by Molenaar Edition, Honeyrock Editions, and Editorial Boileau. He has served as a jury member for the International Mompou Composition Prize and is a member of the Catalan Association of Composers.

José Andrés Merino – Piano Repetiteur
🇪🇸 Spain

José Andrés Merino began his musical training at an early age at the Academia Musical de Castro Urdiales, continued at the Conservatorio Profesional de Barakaldo, and completed his Higher Degree at the Escuela Superior de Música Reina Sofía in Madrid, graduating with Honors. He further refined his skills through masterclasses with Humberto Quagliata.

🏆 Awards and Recognition

• Casa de Cultura de Torrelavega Award

• National Piano and Strings Competition Award, Escuela La Salle, Santander

• International City of San Sebastián Competition Award

• Nuevas Estrellas Ciudad de Bilbao Award

As a performer, he has appeared as a soloist with the Banda de Música de Castro Urdiales, in solo recitals at Teatro de Barakaldo, and extensively from 1996 to 2002 at Teatro Arriaga Arias. He has been a guest artist in prestigious venues including the Palacio de Festivales de Santander and the Hotel Meliá Varadero in Cuba, and has performed internationally in cities such as New York, Los Angeles, Miami, and Las Vegas.

🎼 International Profile
In 2018, he was selected to participate in the María Herrero International Competition in Granada and the XIX International Competition of Great Spanish Composers in Madrid (Las Rozas).

In addition to his performance career, José Andrés Merino serves as a legal advisor and music lawyer at M88K Música y Cultura, providing specialized guidance on legal and professional matters in the music industry.

Our team of teachers

In this music course it is possible to explore a wide variety of instruments and styles: from classical and electric guitar, modern and baroque cello, drums and contemporary percussion, to lyrical singing and woodwinds such as saxophone and clarinet. Each teacher combines solid academic training with real experience on stage, in recording studios and in artistic projects, to offer close, motivating teaching tailored to individual goals.