Juan A. Ospina: pianist, composer, arranger, producer

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Juan Andrés Ospina was born in Bogota, Colombia. He began his formal musical education at the Universidad Javeriana (Bogota, Colombia) in 1998. Subsequently he moved to Barcelona to continue his studies. He attended the Escola D’Angel Soler and the Taller de Musics, where he focused both on classical and jazz music (respectively). During his years in Barcelona he continuously performed at the most well known jazz clubs in Barcelona, and participated in seminars with musicians such as Chick Corea, John Taylor, and Chano Dominguez amongst many others. In 2004 Juan was selected by the Taller de Musics to represent the school at the 14th IASJ Annual Meeting held in Freiburg (Germany). Having finished his classical studies, and already graduated from the Taller de Musics with the degree of jazz arranger and jazz performer and finished his classical studies at the Soler School, Juan returned to Bogota, where he taught at two well known colleges in the country for one year (Universidad Incca and Universidad de Los Andes). Receiving a scholarship from Berklee College Of Music, he moved to Boston in September 2005, where studied with Danilo Perez, Maria Schneider, Joanne Brackeen, Leo Blanco, Frank Carlberg, Ed Tomassi, Joe Lovano, Greg Hopkins, Ken Pullig, and Dave Samuels amongst many others. He received a “Jazz Performance Award” for outstanding performance from the Piano Department at Berklee, and later on he was a recipient of the prestigious “Herb Pomeroy Award” for outstanding composition and arrangements. His original composition “Todavia No” was selected to be included in the CD “Old New School” (Jazz Revelation Records Label), his music has been continuously played by the Berklee Concert jazz Orchestra in a great number of jazz festivals and international venue, and his original composition “Tramontana” was chosen by the international acclaimed UMO Jazz Orchestra from Finland to be played at the Helsinki Jazz Festival. He also worked as an arranger for the 2007 Latin Grammys ceremony “Life Achievement Awards,” and has been working as an arranger for many bands and singers in the Boston area. He graduated with honors (Summa Cum Laude) with a degree in Jazz Composition and Performance from Berklee College of Music, December 2007. Currently he is constantly working as a performer and a composer in between Boston and New York City. His first album as a leader “BBB: Barcelona, Bogotá, Boston,” was released in July 2009 in Bogotá and New York. ____________________________________________________________________________ Nacido en Bogotá, Colombia, Juan Andrés Ospina comienza sus estudios musicales formalmente en la Universidad Javeriana, en 1998. Durante los dos primeros años estudia piano clásico con Ludmilla Weber, y toma cursos de jazz con Pablo Mayor, Rodolfo Argudín "Peruchín" y Juan Sebastian Monsalve entre otros. Mas adelante se traslada a Barcelona (España), donde estudia piano clásico con Albert Balcells en la Escuela de Angel Soler, y realiza el programa de jazz del Taller de Musics. Durante este tiempo asiste a seminarios y talleres con mùsicos como Chano Dominguez, John Taylor, Chick Corea, Perico Sambeat, Joan Albert Amargos y Albert Bover entre otros, y se presenta regularmente con diferentes formaciones en diferentes clubes de jazz. En Junio del 2000 viaja con el coro colombiano Ars Humana a Linz (Austria), para participar en las primeas olimpiadas internacionales de coros. Mas adelante, en Mayo del 2004, es elegido por el taller de musics para representar a la escuela en el 14avo encuentro de la IASJ (international association of schools of jazz), realizado en Freiburg (Alemania). El mismo año se gradúa del Taller de Musics con el título de instrumentista (piano), compositor y arreglista de jazz, y posteriormente regresa a Bogotá para enseñar en la Universidad de Los Andes y la Universidad Incca durante un año. Durante su estancia en Bogotá se presenta en diferentes teatros con músicos como Tico Arnedo, Pedro Acosta, Luis Guevara y Ginna Savino, y en Septiembre de 2005 se traslada a Boston mediante una beca de la Berklee College of Music. En Berklee tiene clases con profesores como Danilo Perez, María Schneider, Dave Santoro, Ed Tomassi, Joanne Brackeen, Joe Lovano, Dave Samuels, Greg Hopkins, Ken Pullig y Leo Blanco entre otros, y su música es interpretada en varias ocasiones en los principales auditorios de la Universidad por la Berklee Concert Jazz Orchestra, y diferentes ensambles del departamento de Jazz Composition. En Marzo 2006 recibe el "Jazz Performance Award," (otorgada por el departamento de piano) y en Marzo del 2007 la "Herb Pomeroy Award" (otorgada por el departamento de jazz Composition). El tema "Todavía No" es seleccionado para aparecer en el CD de la discográfica de Berklee 'Jazz Revelation Records' del 2007, titulado “The Old New School.” Su música es seleccionada tambíén para ser interpretada por la UMO JAZZ Orchestra (Finalandia), en el festival de jazz de Helsinki, y paralelamente trabaja como arreglista para la ceremonia de los Latin Grammys llevada a cabo en Las Vegas en Noviembre de 2007. Se gradua "Suma Cum Laude" de Berklee College of Music en Diciembre del 2007, en el programa de Jazz Composition, y actualmente trabaja como pianista, compositor y arreglista en las ciudades de Boston y NY. Su primer álbum como lider “BBB: Barcelona, Bogotá, Boston,” saldrá en Mayo de 2009.