By THIRSTY

Esteban Castro (credit: Marc Ducrest)

Esteban Castro, age 13, won the 2016 Parmigiani Montreux Jazz Piano Solo Competition and is the youngest person ever to do so. In his brief career, he has also earned three ASCAP Foundation Herb Alpert Young Jazz Composer Awards, ten Downbeat Student Awards for Best Compositions and Best Soloist, two Charles Mingus High School Competition and Festival Awards and an Essentially Ellington Outstanding Soloist Award, to name just a few. In the fall of 2015, he was invited to give the Jazz Prodigy Concert at the Pittsfield CityJazz Festival.

Esteban has written over 30 original compositions and recorded three award-winning albums. He has shared the stage with renowned musicians like Christian McBride, Wynton Marsalis, Joe Lovano, Paquito D'Rivera, Wayne Escoffery, Willie Jones III, and Sheila E., among others, and has performed at venues in and around New York, including the Blue Note (where he debuted as a soloist in 2013), Dizzy's Club Coca-Cola, Jazz Standard, Carnegie Hall, Steinway Hall, Dicapo Opera Theater, New Jersey Performing Arts Center and the New Jersey Ballet. He has also performed in France, Italy, Puerto Rico, Peru and Montreux, Switzerland.

In addition, he regularly contributes his talents to charities such as the American Cancer Society, Haitian School Charity Fundraiser, fund raising recitals for the Third Street School of Music (Manhattan) and has donated funds from his album sales to purchase instruments for underprivileged young musicians.

Esteban attends Manhattan School of Music Precollege on a scholarship with a double major of Jazz and Classical Music and performs with the Jazz House Big Band.

For all that Esteban Castro has achieved in his young life and for all the promise that his career holds, Stay Thirsty Magazine is proud to name him our THIRSTY SPOTLIGHT artist for Fall 2016. 

Links:

Esteban Castro
Manhattan School of Music