José de Eusebio

Life and career

De Eusebio initially trained as a pianist and conductor in Spain, and then went on to study abroad at the Franz Liszt Academy of Music and the Mozarteum University of Salzburg. Amongst his teachers were György Kurtág and Vlado Perlemuter. De Eusebio also studied in the United States as a Fulbright Scholar.

He served as music director of contemporary music Sax-Ensemble between 1997 and 2002 and has guest conducted all the major Spanish orchestras, including the Spanish National Orchestra, Madrid Symphony Orchestra, Community of Madrid Orchestra, Valencia Orchestra, Málaga Philharmonic, Royal Seville Symphony Orchestra, and the Queen Sofía Chamber Orchestra. He has conducted throughout Europe as well as in North and South America and in Asia.

A specialist in the operatic works of Isaac Albéniz, Eusebio is the editor of the critical editions of the scores for Merlin, Henry Clifford, Pepita Jiménez and San Antonio de la Florida. He conducted the world première of Merlin in its first complete staging (27 May 2003, Teatro Real, Madrid). His earlier recording of the work received the 2001 Latin Grammy Award for Best Classical Recording and his recording of Pepita Jiménez was nominated for a Grammy Award in 2007 for Best Opera Recording. On 24 January 2009, he conducted the world premiere performance of Henry Clifford with its original English libretto (Auditorio Alfredo Kraus, Las Palmas de Gran Canaria).

He was one of the classical musicians, and the only Spaniard, who performed in LA at the America: A Tribute to Heroes after the September 11 attacks.

Selected recordings

Albéniz: Henry Clifford - Orquesta Sinfonica de Madrid

Albéniz: Pepita Jiménez - Orquesta y Coro de la Comunidad de Madrid

Albéniz: Merlin - Orquesta Sinfonica de Madrid