Alfonso Hernandez

Dr. Alfonso Hernandez is an accomplished musician and educator from Guatemala. He obtained a Doctorate in Musical Arts at the University of Maryland, where his dissertation focused on 20th and 21st-century Guatemalan piano literature. Dr. Hernandez also earned an MBA in Arts Innovation from the Global Leaders Institute, channeling his expertise to drive innovation, growth, and social impact through music and cultural agency. Dr. Hernandez co-founded award-winning organizations such as the International Chamber Music Festival of Guatemala – FIMCA Guatemala and the "Luis Felipe Arias" Piano Festival and Competition.

Dr. Hernandez started learning music with his father when he was 4-years-old and entered the National Conservatory of Guatemala at the age of 7 where he graduated with honors. As a student at the Conservatory, he won virtually all available national competitions and featured first debut as soloist with the National Symphonic Orchestra of Guatemala at the age of 12. Alfonso also appeared with the “Jesús Castillo” National Youth Symphony Orchestra of Guatemala (2005), the National Conservatory Orchestra of Guatemala, and the National Conservatory Camerata (2009). With the help of the Hirsch Undergraduate Scholarship, Alfonso moved to United States to pursue a Bachelor in Music Performance with Nancy Weems at the University of Houston studying privately with Slava Gabrielov. In 2013, he graduated cum laude and represented the piano department in the commencement ceremony.

Subsequently, Dr. Hernandez obtained a Master's in Music in Performance and Literature at the Eastman School of Music, working with Rebecca Penneys and teaching group piano to music undergraduates. In 2015, Dr. Hernandez received a full scholarship to complete a Professional Performance Certificate, working closely with Roberta Rust at Lynn University.

In United States, Dr. Hernandez has won awards from the Lynn University Concerto Competition, the Moores School of Music Concerto Competition; Texas Music Teachers Association Young Artist Piano Competition; Music Teachers National Association (Texas Division) Young Artist Competition; the Petroff Piano Competition (including P. Petroff’s dedication for the commissioned work during the competition); the Chautauqua International Piano Competition; the Maria Clara Cullell International Piano Competition; and several others.

Dr. Hernandez has been invited to several renowned music festivals including the Chautauqua Music Festival; Aspen Music Festival under Yoheved Kaplinsky studio; Rebecca Penneys Piano Festival; International Piano Festival at the University of Houston; Art of the Piano in Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music; the Texas State International Piano Festival; Pianofest in the Hamptons.

As a collaborative pianist and chamber musician, Dr. hernandez worked at  the University of Maryland as a graduate collaborative pianist under the coordination of Rita Sloan. Alfonso performed at the Zeister Muziekdagen Kamermuziekfestival en Masterclasse in Netherland having master classes with members of the Vienna Brahms Trio, Emerson Quartet, Alban Berg Quartet, and Robert Kullek. Dr. Hernandez is part of the pianist roster of the Core Ensemble: a chamber theatre company that celebrates diversity through music, and has performed on many dozens of colleges and universities around in the United States.

Nowadays, Dr. Hernandez performs frequently as a soloist with the National Symphony of Guatemala and he has been featured artist in the National Symphony’s Chamber Music Season. As an educator, Dr. Hernandez directed many music workshops for students at the National Conservatory and the University of San Carlos - Escuela Superior de Arte. In 2015 Alfonso served as visiting piano faculty at the University of San Carlos in Guatemala.