Harold López-Nussa, Cuban pianist, was born in 1983. Descended from a family of musicians, his mother was a piano teacher, his father and brother were percussionists, and his uncle Ernán was a pianist. He completed his elementary musical studies at the Manuel Saumell Conservatory (660 F Street, Vedado, Havana). He was a student of Teresita Junco, joining her class of gifted children at the age of 13. He graduated from the Instituto Superior de Arte (ISA) (1110 120 Street between 9th and 13th Streets, Cubanacán, Playa, Havana).

When Harold was just ten years old, he won the Amadeo Roldán Prize. He also participated in various events and won other awards, including first prize in the Ibero-American Piano Competition and was a finalist at the Citta di Senigallia in Italy.

Harold was in his second year of high school at the Amadeo Roldán Conservatory (Calle Rastro No. 1, Habana Vieja, Havana), when he was a guest soloist with the National and Matanzas Symphony Orchestras, under the direction of maestro Enrique Pérez Mesa, for the performance of Maurice Rabel’s concerto in G major.

In 2003, he was chosen to be one of the featured artists performing the Cuban premiere of the complete piano works by composer Héctor Villa-Lobos at the Amadeo Roldán Theater-Auditorium (Calzada y D, Vedado, Plaza de la Revolución, Havana), at the initiative of Ulises Hernández. On this occasion, he performed Piano Concerto No. 4.

In 2005, Harold López-Nussa won first prize at the 39th Montreux Jazz Piano Competition in Switzerland. He performed Keith Jarrett’s Memories of Tomorrow; W. Shorter’s Footprints; and his song “E’ cha.” He competed against pianists from countries such as the United States, Japan, Russia, Poland, Brazil, Austria, and Indonesia, as well as his fellow countryman Alfredo Rodríguez.

His first album, entitled Sobre el Atelier, was recorded in Switzerland and produced by Claude Nobs.

Harold López-Nussa is a pianist who explores a variety of musical styles. He plays classical music from the universal piano repertoire, as well as jazz and dance music, in orchestras that perform popular music. He has been a member of Teresa García Catarla’s orchestra and the jazz quartet led by trumpeter Alexander Brown. With the latter group, he recorded a DVD, performing with figures such as Roberto Carcasés and Elmer Ferrer and his group.

In August 2010, Harold gave a concert at the Museo Nacional de Bellas Artes (Trocadero Street between Zulueta and Monserrate Streets, Old Havana), under the name “Herencia,” the title of his new album. This time, he was part of a trio that also included Ruy Adrián López-Nussa (drummer) and Felipe Cabrera (bassist); the performance delighted the audience, who performed their own Latin jazz songs.

Works such as “Los 3 golpees” by Ignacio Cervantes and “Herencia” by his own author were two of the songs featured during the presentation. This was the first concert in Cuba in which the three musicians played together. This trio project originated in France, where they gave two successful concerts. Guests included Brazilian guitarist Suamy Junior and Cuban trumpeter Maiquel González.

The phonogram Trío Herencia was recorded in France and is made up of songs such as: Pa´ Philippe, La Jungla, Mamá and Saudade, among others.

Harold López-Nussa’s work goes beyond that of an instrumentalist, as he has worked as a pedagogue at the Guillermo Tomás Conservatory of Music (San Juan Bosco No. 57, Guanabacoa, Havana), where he teaches piano and accompaniment.

Discography: Sobre el Atelier (2005); Songs; Trio Herencia (2010).