Biography

Antón Cortés - Piano Flamenco

In 2017, at the age of 10, he was winner of “Mallorca Talent” and two years later, in 2019, he received the award for the revelation artist of the Infest International Film Festival. He was also a finalist in 2021 in the Concurso Internacional del Cante de las Minas (The flamenco oscars), being the youngest artist who had participated to date. Last year he received the New Creators Award from the Institute of Gypsy Culture, promoted by the Ministry of Culture and Sport, and the Venecia Flamenca, the highest award of the Festival Flamenco de la Mistela. In 2024 has just been proclaimed winner of  “The Battle of the Judges” in Got Talent Spain. Despite his youth, he has shared the stage with great artists such as Pitingo, Duquende and Jorge Pardo.

Months before he did it before the general and popular public with his golden pass for the final of Got Talent Spain. Correct and elegant always towards others, but his people recognize that at first Antón did not want to go to this television contest because it seemed to him “a circus” where flamenco was not valued in its fair measure. After his exhibition in the semifinal, with his own composition, his mentor Fernando Peguero, a key figure in the formation of little Antón and who bought him his first piano, suggested him to play something more classical, more commercial, and leave flamenco aside and explore other styles to have a better chance of winning. He sent him Asturias by Isaac Albéniz by whatsapp. Antón listened to it and replied “Thank you Fernando, I love it, it's a great song, now I'll get on with it”. Six minutes later he sent him a video of him playing it at home.

But in the end he decided to play his flamenco in front of the cameras and, as expected, the winner was chosen from among more commercial and convenient proposals, despite the excellent assessment of the public and jury in his final performance. That experience, together with the day he was rejected from the Conservatorio Superior de Baleares during the direct access tests because “in spite of his excellent technique and perfect execution” the jury added that “he lacks the minimum knowledge of musical language necessary to make the most of our studies”, forged his firm decision to dedicate himself exclusively to flamenco with his own style and through a self-taught method. Anton, initially disappointed and saddened by this moment, became aware that he only wanted to dedicate himself and focus on flamenco and piano. He looked for a private teacher at the Conservatory specializing in classical piano, but soon he gave up, recognizing that he could not teach him anything. His technique was unknown, superior, and more effective than hers. 

It doesn't matter that he crosses his arms randomly and anarchically when his hands strike the keys, it doesn't matter that he is playing for the first time in front of a full auditorium or that he is accompanied by prestigious professional musicians, authentic specialists in the art of flamenco after years of study, work, performances and life. Antón plays and the duende appears. That is why a few days ago Pitingo wanted him to accompany him, being in love with him, who will repeat this Saturday October 30 with the great cantaor Duquende, in the solidarity festival of Aspanob in favor of the fight against cancer to be held at the Palau de Congressos de Palma. A luxury, an honor and a privilege for an impuberal who does not seem to weigh the responsibility of the appointment. That the one who was Paco de Lucia's official cantaor for twenty years has accepted to collaborate as a guest artist, in the debut of the first tour of a boy of fourteen years of age, leaves no doubt that we are before the birth of a star who has burst like few others at his age in flamenco. Duquende and Cortés will be accompanied by other great musicians such as Toni Cuenca on double bass and electric bass, Kiko Carmona and Aurora La Cani, expressly from Madrid the young and promising dancer Rapico, Benji Habichuela on percussion, Núria Millán and Jorge Cortés on vocals and the special performance of the great Benjamín Habichuela, a legend of flamenco guitar. 

Antón Cortés

ANTÓN CORTÉS

Piano Flamenco
enter
Pianista Flamenco site by Bluekea