Villaverde has performed extensively throughout Cuba, Bolivia, Spain, and the United States. His international appearences include the Havana International Contemporary Music Festival, the Iberoamerican International Music Festival of Havana, the COFES International Music Festival in Bolivia, the Piccolo Spoleto International Music Festival in Charleston, South Carolina, and the International Music Festival at the College of Charleston, among others. As a soloist, he has performed with the South Carolina Philharmonic Orchestra, with the College of Charleston Symphony Orchestra, with the Meadows Symphony Orchestra, and with the Iuventas Symphony Orchestra of Madrid. The Charleston City Paper has described Villaverde's performances as "unforgettable" and the newspaper of Leon, Spain, said last year "The highlight of the concert was the marvelous pianist, Villaverde, who gave one of the best reading os this piece[Liszt's Concerto No. 1] as this reviewer remembers."
Villaverde has won First Prize in the 2005 Annual Meadows Concerto Competition at Southern Methodist University (Dallas, TX). The Meadows School of the Arts at SMU has awarded Villaverde with the 2005 Von Mickwitz Prize in Piano. Villaverde has been awarded by the College of Charleston with the 2003 and 2004 Edwin Davis Peacock Award for the excellence of his piano performances. Villaverde was also the State Winner (Anderson, SC) and the Southern Division Winner (Hattiesburg, Mississippi) at the 2003 MTNA (Music Teachers National Association) Piano Competition. In 2002 he won First Prize in the Southeastern Piano Competition (North Carolina) and the 2002 Arthur Fraser Piano Competition (Columbia, South Carolina), where he also won the Audience Choice Award. While in Cuba, Villaverde won Second Prize in the 1999 UNEAC (National Union of Cuban Writers and Artists) Piano Competition. He was also honored as "Laureate of Art" by the Higher Institute of Art in Havana.
As a chamber musician, Villaverde has played with several different ensembles. He has recorded, along with his wife, pianist Fabiana Claure, a duo-piano sonata by the American composer Celius Dougherty, which appears in the CD "Serenader, Songs and a Sonata by Celius Dougherty" released in 2003.
Villaverde studied in Havana at the Caturla Conservatory, with Virginia de la Osa. He continued his studies at the National School of Music and at the Higher Institute of Arts with pianist and composer, Andres Alen. Villaverde came to the United States under a Full Piano Scholarship to study at the College of Charleston in South Carolina with pianist Enrique Graf. After graduating Cum Laude from the College of Charleston, Villaverde entered the class of pianist Joaquin Achucarro under a Full Piano Scholarship at the Meadows School of the Arts at Southern Methodist University in Dallas, Texas. He has also been coached by Jorge Luis Prats, Ilana Vered, Alessio Bax, and Alfred Mouledous.
Villaverde holds a Masters of Music in Piano Performance degree from SMU and is currently in the Artist Certificate program. He is also a Faculty member at Gray School of Music.
Phone: (214) 886-0628
E-mail: williamvillaverde@gmail.com
