Pascual
Martínez-Forteza
“…HE POSSESSES A HIGH LEVEL OF PROFESSIONALISM AND MUSICIANSHIP, AND HAS CLEARLY EARNED A DEEP RESPECT FROM HIS COLLEAGUES…”
Pascual
A native of Mallorca, Spain, Clarinet Pascual Martínez-Forteza joined the New York Philharmonic in 2001, the first and only Spanish musician in the Orchestra’s history. Prior to his appointment with the Philharmonic, he held tenure with the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra, and at age 18 he was assistant principal and later acting principal of the Baleares Symphony Orchestra in Spain. He has is been invited to play principal clarinet with the Berlin Philharmonic under Sir Simon Rattle both in Berlin and in Carnegie Hall, New York.
Mr. Martínez-Forteza appears regularly as a soloist, recitalist, and masterclass teacher at international festivals and conservatories, including the International Clarinet Festival of Chanchung (China), ClarinetFest 2009 (Porto, Portugal), Buffet Crampon Summer Clarinet Festival (Jacksonville, Florida), University of Southern California, Mannes School of Music, The Juilliard School, New Jersey Clarinet Symposium, XI Encuentro Internacional de Clarinetes de Lisboa (Portugal), Mexico Clarinet Convention, and I Latinoamerican Clarinet Congress (Lima, Peru). Past and future engagements include solo performances of Copland’s Clarinet Concerto, Mozart’s Clarinet Concerto, Weber’s Clarinet Concertos Nos.1 and 2, Krommer’s Concerto for Two Clarinets, Rossini’s Introduction, Theme and Variations for Clarinet and Orchestra, and Luigi Bassi’s Fantasy on Themes from Verdi’s Rigoletto. He frequently collaborates with Philharmonic colleagues in New York City venues such as David Gefen Hall, Merkin Concert Hall, and Carnegie Hall. He is been invited to play with different orchestras as guest principal clarinetist and also solo e-flat like Philadelphia Orchestra, St Louis Symphony and Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra.
Since 2003 Mr. Martínez-Forteza and Spanish pianist Gema Nieto-Forteza have played throughout Asia, Europe, and the United States as Duo Forteza-Nieto. Together they founded the Benifaio Music Festival in Spain, where Philharmonic colleagues have joined them for a week of master classes and concerts. A decade ago Mr. Martínez-Forteza founded Vent Cameristic, a wind ensemble of professional musicians from Spain. As a soloist with that ensemble, he has played every year at the Concerts d’Estiú in Valencia, Spain. In 2003 Spanish National Radio (RNE) produced a CD featuring selections from these performances. Mr. Martínez-Forteza has also made recordings for radio and television in Asia, Europe, and the United States. The duo Forteza-Nieto received the Sunshine Awards 2016 for their outstanding contribution to the Performing Arts in classical music and in Latin music.
Pascual Martínez-Forteza started playing clarinet at age ten with his father, Pascual V. Martínez, principal clarinet of the Baleares Symphony Orchestra for 30 years and teacher at the Baleares Conservatory of Music in Spain. Mr. MartínezForteza earned his master’s degree from the Baleares and Liceo de Barcelona Music Conservatories in Spain and pursued advanced studies with Yehuda Gilad at the University of Southern California, where he won first prize in the university’s 1998 Concerto Competition.
Mr. Martínez-Forteza is a Faculty member at Manhattan School of Music, New York University and also teaches at Bard Conservatory of Music, all in New York. A Buffet Crampon Artist and Vandoren Artist, he plays Green Line Tosca Buffet clarinets and uses Vandoren reeds and M30D mouthpieces.
“…MR. MARTINEZ FORTEZA EXHIBITED FLAWLESS TECHNIQUE AND PROVED TO BE A MUSICIAN OF THE HIGHEST CALIBER. I FOUND HIM TO HAVE EXCELLENT COMMAND OVER HIS INSTRUMENT WITH HIGH LEVEL OF ARTISTRY…”
SIR COLIN DAVIS, CONDUCTOR
Audio
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Artie Shaw: Concerto For Clarinet
Pascual Martinez-Forteza, Clarinet
Vent Cameristic, Wind ensemble
Victor Soria, Conductor -
Brahms Clarinet Quintet 2nd Movement
Sheryl Staples, Violin
Michelle Kim, Violin
Cynthia Phelps, Viola
Carter Brey, Cello
Pascual Martínez-Forteza, Clarinet -
Yuste Estudio Melódico
Pascual Martinez-Forteza, Clarinet
Gema Nieto-Forteza, Piano
Media
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Poulenc Sonata for Clarinet & Piano - 1st movement: Allegro tristamente (Allegretto - Très calme - Tempo allegretto)
Pascual Martinez-Forteza, Clarinet
Gema Nieto-Forteza, Piano -
Mozart Clarinet Quintet - 1st movement: Allegro
Pascual Martinez-Forteza, Clarinet
Elizabeth Zelster, Violin
Yulia Ziskel, Violin
Vivek Kamath, Viola
Sumire Kudo, Cello -
Copland Clarinet Concerto
Pascual Martinez-Forteza, Clarinet
OSB Orquesta Sinfónica de Baleares
Salvador Brotons, Conductor
Agenda
“…I AM QUITE IMPRESSED WITH HIS TECHNIQUE AND ARTISTRY. MR. MARTINEZ FORTEZA IS PROVING TO BE ONE OF THE MOST GIFTED CLARINET PLAYERS OF OUR TIME…”
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October, 2016
Guest Principal Clarinet at Cincinnati Symphony
Cincinnati, OHGuest Princial clarinet with the Cincinnati Symphony and Juanjo Mena Conducting
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January, 2017
Teaching Residency at the Shanghai Global Academy
Shanghai, ChinaMaster classes at Shanghai Global Academy
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March, 2017
NYPhil European Tour'17
March 23rd to April 7th
National Concert Hall, Dublin / Barbican Center, London / Concertgebouw, Amsterdam / Philharmonie, Luxembourg / La Philharmonie, Paris / Oper, Frankfurt / Philharmonie, Cologne
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August, 2017
Buffet Crampon Summer Academy
Jacksonville, FloridaFaculty at the Summer Academy. Master classes and performances.
Forteza-Nieto
"...NOS OFRECIÓ UNA LECCIÓN DE MUSICALIDAD Y SONIDO PURO COMO POCAS VECES HEMOS ESCUCHADO SOBRE UN ESCENARIO. PURA DELICIA SU COPLAND Y MÁS, SI CABE, EL BIS DE PIAZZOLA...."
The Duo Forteza-Nieto, composed by Pascual Martinez-Forteza and Gema Nieto-Forteza, was formed in 2003 in New York, when clarinetist Martinez-Forteza was the special guest coming from the New York Philharmonic Orchestra at the Spanish Music Concert Series “Sketches of Spain”, created by Nieto. As a duo, Nieto and Martinez-Forteza made in 2004 their Carnegie Hall debut with great acclaim from the public and media. Having been invited to perform as a duo at different International Festivals in Asia, Europe and America, they have consolidated their status as one of the most acclaimed duos of clarinet and piano. The duo Forteza-Nieto received the Sunshine Awards 2016 for their outstanding contribution to the performing arts in classical music and in Latin music. They were honored to be the first Europeans, and also Hispanics nominated in the 28 years of the organization's history.
Their repertoire is specially focused on Spanish music, of which they are considered as a reference in the XIX Century clarinet repertoire, which includes Miguel Yuste, Menéndez and Romero’s compositions. They have been called the “Spanish Ambassadors for clarinet and piano”. They also enjoy performing other repertoires, especially French and American. Renowned for their musicianship and their touching performances, this clarinet and piano duo have appeared in prominent concert halls and festivals in North America, Asia and Europe.
“… GEMA IS A VERY TALENTED PIANIST WITH AN AUTHENTIC MUSICALITY, INTUITION, IMAGINATION, CHARM AND A REMARKABLE GOOD TASTE WITH DISTINGUISHED PRESENCE ON THE STAGE …”
MAURICIO VALLINA, PIANIST
Gema
Nieto-Forteza
Spanish pianist Gema Nieto has established herself as a performer of musical sensibility, providing intellect which brings new light to the works she performs. Nieto's awards include Cum Laude with Honors at the Castellón Conservatory of Music, Spain, in her Piano Masters' Degree in 2002. After that, she moved to NY where she graduated on Masters Degree at the Manhattan School of Music. A Fulbright felowship since 2003, she obtained a scholarship from The International Institute and the Commission of Cultural, Educational and Scientific Exchange between Spain and United States (Ruth Lee Kennedy Scholarship).
Teachers as Mauricio Vallina, Brenno Ambrosini, Dr. Solomon Mikowsky and Dr. Donn-Alexandre Feder were part of her artistic-pianistic development, Dr. David Gilbert in her Conducting Orchestra Studies, Gerald Robbins and David Krakauer in her chamber music ensembles coachings.
As a soloist, she has appeared at several International Music Festivals including the International Music Festival of Tenerife, Spain; Puigcerdá International Piano Festival, Spain; Chamber Music Series'04, NY; "Skethes of Spain" Series at the Carnegie Hall , NY; and Changchun International Music Festival, China. At the age of 21 she was invited from the Conde Duque Hall, Madrid, to be part of the "Jóvenes Intérpretes'99 " ("Young Artist Series'99"), doing her Solo Piano Recital Debut.
As a chamber interpreter, Nieto started in 2003 to play together with Pascual Martinez Forteza (clarinetist of the New York Philharmonic Orchestra). They already played in Carnegie Hall, and made their Asian debut on 2004, being guest artist in the International Clarinet Festival in Changchun, China. Also she has played in several ocasions in the New York Philharmonic Ensembles Series, to be held each season at the Lincoln Center in NYC.
As a music promoter and artist manager, she assisted in the founding of the Benifaio Music Festival in Spain, which involved master classes and concerts given by musicians of the Philharmonic; and she is also an active coordinator and organizes concerts, tours and events in Spain and in the United States.
"PERFORMING CARL MARIA VON WEBER’S CLARINET CONCERT NO. 2, PASCUAL MARTINEZ-FORTEZA DECLARED HIS INTENT WITHIN THE WORK’S FIRST TWO NOTES – PLAYING THE HIGHEST AND LOWEST NOTES POSSIBLE ON THE INSTRUMENT, THEN RACED UP AND DOWN, SHOWING OFF BOTH HIS TECHNICAL PROWESS AND THE COMPOSER’S USE OF WHAT, IN 1811, WAS A RANGE OF NEW TECHNIQUES FOR THE CLARINET. FORTEZA, ASSOCIATE PRINCIPAL CLARINETIST WITH THE NEW YORK PHILHARMONIC AND A LONGTIME FRIEND OF BPO MAESTRO JOSE-LUIS NOVO, IS TO BE LAUDED FOR HIS PURITY OF TONE AND RAPID-FIRE FINGER WORK..."
LEE SHEPHERD, BROOME ARTS MIRROR
Equipment
Clarinets: Buffet Crampon
I feel very lucky to have a partner like Buffet Crampon in my life. Over the years, I have developed not only an invaluable professional relationship, but also a friendship with many of the Buffet team. With the support of Buffet, the expert advice, the tradition, and most importantly, the finest clarinets in the world I really can play with a sound, intonation and palate of colors that I never dreamed was possible.
I have played with the Models RC, RC Prestige, R13 and now Tosca Green Line.
With the Tosca Green Line I found the best sound possible for me. Rich, yet dark; with great projection and the balance I have always been looking for. All of this without having to worry about temperature changes or cracks thanks to the revolutionary Green Line material.
Thank you Antoine, Francois, Philippe...
Wolfgang Lohff and Birgit Pfeiffer
I want to thank Wolfgang Lohff and Birgit Pfeiffer for their amazing work on my clarinets. Their knowledge about acoustics, resonance,mechanism and intonation is endless. Since I had the Silent Pads and the Ball Bearing system installed on my clarinets I feel I can play better than ever. The key action is faster and quiet; the sound got darker, and the projection improved.
Mouthpieces, reeds and legatures: Vandoren
I am very proud to say that I have been enjoying Vandoren productos for 30 years now. I started playing clarinet when I was 10 and my father put me to play on a 5RV mouthpiece with a tradicional Vandoren reed. Of course during so many years I tried and played many other mouthpieces and reeds but I always went back to the sound and feeling of Vandoren. It is like going back home.
My personal choice is M30D mouthpieces, V12 reeds 3/2+ and Leather and Klassik Ligatures.
PMF Vandoren video English
PMF Vandoren video Español
Vandoren
Barrels: Zoom from Paulus & Schuler
The barrel is a key element for a good sound and absolutely fundamental for a correct
intonation. After many years trying (and enjoying) diferent brands and material combinations, I found what it seems the perfect barrel. Zoom barrel has an astonishing brilliand sound and thanks to the innovative extension system you can adjust the length of your barrel in a second.
I also would like to thank you so much to two special amazing technicians and repairman that have been helping me with the instruments for many years: Guy Chadash and Tomoji Hirakata.
Contact
"…BRILLIANT SOLOISTS THROUGHOUT, SCULPTING EACH OF MAHLER’S DELICATE PHRASES WITH NO SIGNS OF ENDURANCE PROBLEMS …"
Pascual Martínez-Forteza
c/o New York Philharmonic
Avery Fisher Hall
10 Lincoln Center Plaza
New York, NY 10023 USA
To book a concert, masterclass or other
contact@pascualmartinezforteza.com
To schedule a private lesson
lessons@pascualmartinezforteza.com
Download here my Press Kit ENG and high resolution pictures
Descárgate aquí mi Kit de Prensa ESP y fotos en alta resolución
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