Short Bio

Josefina Urraca is a Spanish pianist and co-director of CreArtBox and the Festival ADAR, acclaimed by Mundo Clásico for performances marked by “introspection and musical abandon.” Her artistry is defined by expressive depth, refined sound, and a sensitivity that combines precision with poetic imagination. She has performed in leading venues such as the Salle Cortot in Paris, the Sony Auditorium in Madrid, Carnegie Hall in New York, and Monten Hall in Tokyo, bringing to each stage an intimate and narrative approach.

As co-founder of CreArtBox, she designs performance concepts in which classical music engages in dialogue with visual and theatrical elements, creating immersive and emotionally intense experiences for contemporary audiences. Her work includes artistic conception, programming, and collaboration with composers and visual artists to explore the relationship between space, sound, and narrative.

Since 2021, she has co-directed the ADAR Festival in rural Asturias, where music and landscape intertwine in site-specific creations that transform villages into artistic canvases. Her musical voice has been shaped through studies in Madrid, Paris, London, and New York with masters such as Maria João Pires, Dmitri Bashkirov, Ferenc Rados, and Josep Colom. Born in Palencia, she divides her artistic life between New York and Asturias.

Long Biography

Josefina Urraca is a Spanish pianist and co-director of CreArtBox and the Festival ADAR. Her performances have been praised by Mundo Clásico for their blend of “introspection and musical abandon.” Known for refined sound, poetic imagination, and a strong narrative sense, she approaches the piano as a space for exploration where precision and spontaneity exist in dialogue.

She has appeared in prestigious venues including the Salle Cortot in Paris, Collège d’Espagne at the Cité Internationale Universitaire de Paris, Auditorio Sony in Madrid, Carnegie Hall in New York, and Monten Hall in Tokyo. Her artistic presence has also reached wider audiences through Spanish television and radio appearances.

Over the past fifteen years, she has received support from institutions including the New York State Council on the Arts, Government of Asturias, Queens Council on the Arts, the Spanish Embassy, Manhattan School of Music, Caja Madrid, Fundación Luis Galvé, the Amphion Foundation, the Alice M. Ditson Fund, Caja Rural Foundation, and the Albéniz Foundation. She has also won prizes in competitions such as Savvy Musicians in Action, INJUVE, Montehermoso Contemporary Creation, Ciudad de Carlet International Competition, and Rotary Club competitions.

As co-founder of CreArtBox alongside Guillermo Laporta, she develops interdisciplinary stage projects that bring classical music into dialogue with visual arts, theater, and contemporary performance. Her work includes conceptual design, programming, and collaborative creation with composers and visual artists to create accessible and meaningful artistic experiences.

Since 2021, together with flutist Guillermo Laporta, she has co-directed Festival ADAR, a traveling arts festival integrating concerts, talks, interviews, commissioned works, and multidisciplinary projects. The festival transforms rural landscapes into living artistic spaces through site-specific creation.

Her studies include training in Madrid, Paris, London, and New York at institutions such as the Salamanca Conservatory, University of Alcalá de Henares, École Normale de Musique “Alfred Cortot,” Reina Sofía School of Music, and Manhattan School of Music. She has worked with Dmitri Bashkirov, Maria João Pires, Ferenc Rados, Josep Colom, Claudio Martínez-Mehner, Kennedy Moretti, Frank Wibaut, and others.

Born into a family of professional musicians in Palencia, she divides her life between New York and Leiguarda, Asturias, where she lives with her husband Guillermo and their son Eliot.

FAQ

What is your process working in outside the box venues?

Each project begins with researching the venue and building a program that responds to its character. These settings allow us to break traditional boundaries, connect more closely with audiences, and create immersive, site-specific performances.

Why chamber music?

Chamber music is a deeply human form of expression where dialogue, listening, and shared intuition come together. It offers intimacy, trust, and artistic depth that continues to inspire me as both performer and collaborator.

What is your teaching philosophy?

I believe teaching is a collaborative and personal process. I work with a limited number of students to provide individual attention, blending technical rigor with creative exploration and encouraging each student to develop their own artistic identity.

For engagements and collaborations: josefinaupd@gmail.com