A versatile and brilliant pianist, researcher, educator, and cultural advocate, María Dolores Gaitán has earned international recognition for her sonorous artistry, vibrant energy, and interpretative personality on stage. She has been acknowledged by the European Union National Institutes for Culture (EUNIC) as a representative of Spanish musical culture in Italy. Additionally, she is the founder and director of the International Guadalquivir Piano Festival since 2010.
María Dolores has claimed victory in international competitions, including the 11th “Città di Padova” International Competition, the 16th “Antonio Beltrami” Prize, the “6th Antonio Salieri Competition”, and the 7h “Montichiari” International Competition, among others.
In 2018, she was nominated as a candidate for the Princess of Girona Awards, presented by Queen Letizia, and was honored as an artist by “Marca España” (State Brand). She collaborates with the Nauta Institute and the Academy of Military Arts and Sciences of Spain (ACAMI) on the “Un concierto revolucionario” project, promoting international relations between America and Spain through the piano.
María Dolores holds a Master’s degree in Chamber Music and Piano from the “G. Verdi” Conservatory of Milan, in addition to an Advanced Degree in Piano and a Bachelor’s Degree in Music Education, which she pursued concurrently in Córdoba, studying with pianists such as Larisa Tedtoeva, Emanuela Piemonti, Paolo Bordoni, Jorge Luis Prats, Lilya Zilberstein, Claudio Martinez Mehner, and others.
Her musical journey includes the release of a double album titled “Images of Spain through dance” featured in the prestigious Italian magazine Amadeus and for the Swiss label Bam Music International. Moreover, she has recorded music for the film “Fiore,” directed by Claudio Giovannesi, which was a finalist at the Cannes Film Festival in 2016. She has recently recorded several discographic projects titled “Alhajas” and “1781 Tribute,” set to be released later this year.
María Dolores actively performs as a soloist, in chamber music, and with orchestras primarily in Europe and America, gracing UNESCO Heritage theaters and monuments from Teatro alla Scala in Milan to the Mosque-Cathedral of Córdoba. As a soloist, she has performed with the Vienna Chamber Orchestra, Bad Brückenau Orchestra in Germany, Orchestra of Córdoba, Orchestra of Granada, Madrid Symphonic Band, Milano Classica Orchestra, and G. Verdi Symphony Orchestra.
In chamber formations, she has collaborated with Mikhail Milman of the Kopelman Quartet, S. Laffranchini (soloist of Teatro alla Scala), Sergey Teslya, Mario Hossen, Luisa Sello, Aziz Samsaoui, Chiara Torselli, among others.
Beyond her performing career, María Dolores is an avid researcher who has initiated innovative projects connecting the piano with various art forms, including gastronomy, fashion, painting, literature, and the legacy of Al-Andalus. Her collaborations have spanned renowned figures such as two-star Michelin chef Paco Morales, designer Palomo Spain, painter Manuel León, and writer Jacobo Bergareche.
