“Brilliant technique performing Liszt’s Hungarian Fantasy.”
–The Tucson Citizen

The earliest recollection of my life is playing the piano. I started playing at the age of three, and my maternal grandmother, Elena Porragas de Rodriguez de la Gala, was my first teacher. I was born in Veracruz, Mexico. After High School, I moved to Mexico City to study at the National Conservatory of Music. Playing the piano was all I ever wanted to do. I was very lucky that when I applied to become a student at the Conservatory, the Director of that illustrious institution, Joaquin Amparan listened to my performance, and decided to become my teacher for all my years at the conservatory.

Mr. Amparan handed down to me an incredible legacy. He studied with Manuel M. Ponce, the famed Mexican composer. Ponce studied with the great pianist, Martin Krause, a student of Franz Liszt. Liszt studied with Carl Czerny, and Czerny studied with Beethoven. My teacher also studied with Max Pauer, another student of Liszt. I found it interesting that Max’s father, Ernest Pauer, studied piano with Mozart’s son, Franz Xaver Mozart. During my years at the Conservatory, I was fortunate enough to take master classes with Jörg Demus, Bernard Flavigny, and Angelica Morales von Sauer, the great Mexican pianist who was married to Emil von Sauer, one of Liszt’s favorite students. I also studied under Andrzej Wasowsky, the great Chopin specialist who was named “The greatest Chopin interpreter of modern times.” by Time magazine in 1946. I was a First Prize winner at the Frederic Chopin National Competition in Mexico City.

One of my reasons for living is to caress the listener’s soul. I believe that we all need the warmth of a loved one, an affectionate touch, a hug to cherish, but rarely, do we have the opportunity to caress our own heart and soul. I consider myself to be a very lucky human being, because I have the benefit of such an opportunity every time I play the piano. My main mission in life is to provide that moment of solace, peace, and harmony of the spirit with everyone who comes close to my piano.

You can contact me at: liszt4you@gmail.com