Biography
Ofelia Montalván studied in Cuba with the prestigious teacher, Teresita Junco. In 1981, she continued her studies at the Moscow Tchaikovsky Conservatory , where she was awarded a Master of Fine Arts degree as a concert pianist, piano accompanist and piano teacher in 1986. At the Moscow Conservatory, she studied under the “People’s Artist of Russia”, Valery Kastélsky (a student of H. Neigáuz), and successfully completed her postgraduate studies, a performance PhD, in 1989, with top grades.
Ofelia Montalván was a piano professor at the Higher Institute of Art of Havana from 1986, and between 1994 and 2002 she was employed at the Mérida State Symphony Orchestra and the University of Los Andes in Venezuela. Her students have been awarded prizes at international competitions in Valletta, Malta, Val Tidone (Italy), at Neue Sterne (Germany), at Piano & Artists, at Alcala Gran Klavier etc. She has taught courses in teaching methodology and piano interpretation in several countries.
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She has played in masterclasses hosted by the Stuttgart Bach Academy and held by cellists Natalia Gutman, Philippe Müller, Frans Helmerson, David Geringas and Tsuyoshi Tsutsumi. She has staged recitals with French violinist Maurice Hasson, professor at the Royal Academy of Music, London and clarinettist Marian Liebowitz of San Diego University.
Ofelia Montalván has performed in Russia, Italy, France, Cuba, Venezuela, Uruguay, Portugal, Poland, Czechoslovakia, Austria, Japan and Spain at the Rachmaninov Hall, the Malý Sál, the Pushkin Museum and the Kremlin in Moscow, the C.C. Gulbenkian Foundation in Paris and Lisbon, the Münsterhof in Strasbourg, the National Music Auditorium of Madrid, the Petit Palau hall in Barcelona, the Music House of Porto, etc. She has also made recordings for Sony Spain.
Since 2002 she has been collaborating as a pianist at the Reina Sofía School’s Sony Violoncello Chair with Professor Natalia Shakhovskaya and Professor Ivan Monighetti.
Ofelia Montalván is currently professor and Head of the Piano Department at the El Escorial Conservatory.