Daniel Barenboim is a pianist and conductor currently serving as the general music director of the Berlin State Opera and the Staatskapelle Berlin. He has previously been the music director of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, the Orchestre de Paris, and La Scala in Milan. He is a recipient of Spain's Prince of Asturias Concord Award among others.
Isaac Albeniz was a Spanish composer, conductor, and virtuoso pianist. Widely regarded as one of the most important composers of the Post-Romantic era, Albeniz had a strong influence on younger composers as well as his contemporaries. Many of his personal papers are preserved in several prominent institutions, such as the Library of Catalonia.
Spanish pianist Manuel de Falla, known for his musical nationalism, was one of the most influential composers of the 20th century. Born in Cádiz, Falla initially learned playing the piano from his mother, and later went to Madrid for further training. His work also took him to France and Argentina.
Joaquín Rodrigo was a Spanish composer and a virtuoso pianist best known for composing the Concierto de Aranjuez. He lost his sight as a child and was encouraged by his parents to study music. He excelled in his musical education and began composing in braille as a young man. In 1983, he was awarded the Premio Nacional de Música.
Spanish pianist and composer Enrique Granados gained fame with his nationalistic music. He is remembered for his iconic work Goyescas, which premiered as an opera in New York. Granados lost his life when the ship he was traveling to England in drowned after being torpedoed by a German submarine.