Kristhyan Benitez, piano

Grammy award winning pianist Kristhyan Benitez is exciting audiences worldwide with  his vivid and passionate concerts, presenting both Classical and Latin American  repertoire with depth, passion and charisma. He is part of the new generation of  Venezuelan musicians earning international attention for their colorful high-energy,  rhythmically charged performances. Jose Antonio Abreu, founder and director of “El  Sistema”, described Kristhyan as “one of the most important and brilliant leaders of the  musical movement in Venezuela and the whole Continent.” Pianist and mentor,  Phillippe Entremont described his impression of Benitez: “his commitment, talent,  imagination, drive, passion and intelligence make Kristhyan an outstanding musician  and performer.”

Kristhyan has appeared on some of the world’s most prestigious stages including  Philarmonie Hall (Berlin), Davies Symphony Hall (San Francisco), Town Hall (New  York), National Center for the Performing Arts (Beijing), Ehrbar Saal (Vienna), Salle  Cortot (Paris), Auditorio Nacional de Musica (Madrid), Amadeo Roldan Theater  (Havana), Palacio de Bellas Artes (Mexico City) and Rios Reyna at the Teresa Carreño  Cultural Complex (Caracas), with performances throughout Europe, South America and  the United States. He has performed under the batons of Claudio Abbado, Enrique  DiemeckeGustavo Dudamel, Alondra de la Parra, Ransom Wilson, Carlos Riazuelo,  Felipe Izcaray, Giancarlo Guerrero, Piero Gamba, Patrick Lange, Lina Gonzalez Granados, Tito Muñoz, James Orent, Benjamin Zander, Eduardo Marturet, and others.  His orchestral engagements include the Simon Bolívar Orchestra of Venezuela, San  Francisco Symphony, La Havana Symphony, Berliner Symphoniker and Miami  Symphony. He is the recent Artist in Residence at the Panama International Music  Festival, Steinway Music Festial of Palm Beach and Guest Artist at the Newport Music  Festival. In 2019 he gave an 13-city recital tour of China at the invitation of the Ministry  of Culture, along with concerts in Mexico, Taiwan, Colombia, Panama, Hungary,  Romania, Argentina, and across the U.S.

His third recording and first for the Steinway Label, “Latin American Classics, ” won the  Latin Grammy for “Best Classical Album” in 2021 and includes music from Cuba,  Argentina, Brazil, Venezuela and Mexico. He has released more than 50 popular tracks  for the Spirio, Steinway’s high resolution piano. “Miniatures,” his 2016 album, garnered  the Bronze Medal at the Global Music Awards. For this album, he also improvised  extensively and made all of the musical arrangements. His album “Nosotros,” won the  Global Music Awards Silver Medal in the Best Album and Best Artist categories. Benitez  latest album “Afro-Cuban Dances” got him a nomination for the Latin Grammy 2023 in  the “Best Classical Album” category.  

Kristhyan served as assistant conductor of the Philharmonic Orchestra of the Americas  (POA) in 2005 where he worked with conductor Alondra de la Parra. He performed with  the POA on their Sony Classics Debut CD, and toured with the orchestra in Alice Tully  Hall and Walt Disney Concert Hall in May of 2010, where he also collaborated with

Oscar Winner Gustavo Santaolalla. In 2013, he was appointed the new Artist in Residence of Venezuela’s El Sistema.

He is the recipient of the respected “International Master for Piano Artist” at the École  Normale de Musique “Alfred Cortot” in Paris, France, studying with Phillipe Entremont  and Nelson delle Vigne. His final studies were with Michael Lewin at the Boston  Conservatory at Berklee, where he received the prestigious Artist Diploma in May 2015.  He received the highest civilian honor given by the President of Venezuela, the “Jose  Felix Ribas Award,” given for his cultural contributions and the enhancement of his  country abroad.

Kristhyan Benitez is a Steinway Artist.

Learn more about the artist here: kbenitez.com