"I have rarely come across a talent like Gabriela's. She is a unique artist."
Martha Argerich

Gabriela Montero's debut EMI CD consisted of one recital disc of music by Rachmaninoff, Chopin and Liszt, and a second of her extraordinary improvisations. Standing shoulder-to-shoulder with her inspired performances of core repertoire, these deeply-felt and technically brilliant classical improvisations have their roots in baroque and classical music. From Bach and Mozart to Bruckner, improvisation played as essential a part of a musician's life as it does today for Gabriela. It was in this spirit that Gabriela's follow-up for EMI Bach and Beyond, a full CD of improvisations, was made.

Gabriela has appeared with orchestras across the world from South America and the USA, Europe, Japan to the Far East, with engagements including the New York Philharmonic with Lorin Maazel, NDR Hannover and Boston Philharmonic with Benjamin Zander and the Philharmonia Orchestra. She works regularly with Gustavo Dudamel especially with the Venezuelan Youth Orchestra 'Simon Bolivar' where she has performed all five Beethoven
concertos several times.

In recital Gabriela has appeared at the Wigmore Hall London, Kennedy Center Washington DC, National Arts Center Ottawa, Orchard Hall Tokyo, Teatro Colon Buenos Aires, Herkulessaal Munich, Musikhalle Hamburg, Berlin Konzerthaus, and will appear at the Cologne Philharmonie as part of the Cologne Musiktriennale 2007 whose theme will be 'improvisation'. Gabriela has appeared at the Roque d'Anthron, Radio France Montpellier, Schleswig-Holstein, MDR Musiksommer, Penderecki, and Radio Canada Chopin festivals. She has been invited annually to participate in the 'Progetto Martha Argerich' Festival in Lugano, and to Martha Argerich's Buenos Aires Festival.

Born in Caracas Venezuela, Gabriela gave her first public performance at the age of five. Aged eight she made her concerto debut with the Venezuelan Youth Orchestra 'Simon Bolivar' conducted by Jose Antonio Abreu, was granted a scholarship from the Venezuelan government to study in the USA, and rapidly gained recognition in Europe, the USA and South America. At twelve she won the Baldwin National Competition and AMSA Young Artist International Piano Competition, performing the Tchaikovsky Piano Concerto No.1 with the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra.

A former student of Lyl Tiempo, Andrez Esterhazy and Professor Hamish Milne at the Royal Academy of Music London, Gabriela has won international accolades including the Bronze Medal at the 13th International Chopin Piano Competition in Warsaw in 1995.