DAVID PÉREZ

DAVID PÉREZ is a professional soloist and chamber musician with extensive performance experience on the organ, piano, and harpsichord. David belongs to the first generation of Cuban organists working to rediscover and revitalize the organ and its repertoire on the island. Regularly performing across Europe, North America, and Latin America, David’s programs are engaging and diverse, introducing audiences to new works from living composers as well as his own colorful transcriptions of Cuban music for the organ.

Following his Bachelor’s degree, David began performing solo organ recitals on the first fully restored mechanical organ in Cuba. Through these recitals David brought works by the great masters of the organ repertoire to the audiences of Havana. Eager to incorporate his Cuban heritage and culture into the music he makes, David has worked intensely to infuse the unique colors and flavors of Cuban music into the spectrum of organ repertoire with his transcriptions of works by prominent Cuban composers such as Ernesto Lecuona, José White, Felix Guerrero, and José María Vitier. While in Europe, David presented a solo organ recital as part of the Les Amis de l’Orgue de Coignières festival in Coignières, France. After moving to the United States, David played many concerts and recitals on the great Marcussen organ in Wiedemann Hall. Several of which were part of Wichita State University’s “Wednesdays in Wiedemann” - Rie Bloomfield Organ Series. As part of this same series, he played several carillon concerts at the Sedgwick County Historical Museum. In the Spring of 2021, he competed in the Mikael Tariverdiev International Organ Competition. David enjoys collaborating with other organists and musicians, and regularly plays for AGO concerts and events.

During his tenure as the principal organist and harpsichordist for the renowned Cuban early music ensemble Ars Longa, David performed in early music festivals throughout Europe, North America, and Latin America including: Rezonanzen Music Festival (Vienna, Austria), the 19th Ubeda & Baeza Early Music Festival (Andalucia, Spain), the 2nd Early Music Festival (Panama, Panama City), the Tropical Baroque Music Festival XVIII (Miami, Florida, United States), and the 12th Esteban Salas Early Music Festival (Havana, Cuba). Between 2015 and 2017, the ensemble toured extensively throughout Europe, Latin America, and the United States. David is featured on two studio albums with the ensemble: Navidad en el Caribe and Los Sonidos de La Antigua Habana, which is the first recorded album featuring the restored Daublaine Ducroquet organ in Havana, Cuba. This album contains a variety of instrumental and vocal pieces from the 19th and 20th centuries, including the Sonata for Organ by José Mauri, a piece that was discovered and completely restored by Ars Longa.

Performing as a solo pianist, David has participated in national and international festivals and competitions including: UNEAC Piano Competition, Musicalia Piano Competition, and the 5th Arts Festival (Havana, Cuba). As a collaborative pianist, David regularly performed with the Cuban choral ensemble Vocal Luna, conducted by Wilmia Verrier, and the Cuban National Choir, conducted by Digna Guerra. In the United States, David performed as an organist and collaborative pianist with the choral ensembles of Wichita State University, under the baton of Dr. Ryan Beeken. David is featured on the 2021 premiere of the Wichita State University Oratorio Concert broadcast on KPTS/PBS. This broadcast includes recordings of Dan Forrest’s Requiem for the Living and Joel Thompson’s Seven Last Words of the Unarmed.

As a church musician, Daivd currently serves as the organist at First Presbyterian Church in Lawrence, Kansas, where he produces organ concert series each year. In 2021, David served as the organ teacher for the Young Artist Program at Blessed Sacrament Church in Wichita, Kansas. Prior to his time in the United States, David served as music director, organist, and piano collaborator at various churches in Cuba.

David holds a Bachelor's degree in Piano Performance from University of the Arts (Havana, Cuba) where he studied with Liana Fernandez and a Master's degree in Organ Performance from Wichita State University (Wichita, Kansas) where he studied with Lynne Davis. During his education as an organist and pianist, David participated in numerous masterclasses with prestigious artists such as Stefan Baier, Martin Rost, Francesco Corti, Deniel Perer, Andres Cea, Ulrike Theresia Wegele, Gregor Unterkofler, Damin Spritzer, and Jorge Luis Prats.

When he is not performing, David enjoys traveling with his fiancé, going on culinary adventures, and introducing anyone he meets to the culture of Cuban coffee.