The pianist Rubén Fernández Aguirre was born in Bilbao. He was a pupil of Félix Lavilla, continued his training in Vienna and Munich and is now mentored by Wolfram Rieger. He has primarily made a name for himself as a sought-after piano accompanist, and works regularly with renowned singers such as Carlos Álvarez, Ermonela Jaho, Ismael Jordi, Marina Monzó, Lisette Oropesa, Joel Prieto, Sabina Puértolas, Nuria Rial and Serena Sáenz.
He also enjoys close working partnerships with Sonya Yoncheva, Javier Camarena, Martina Serafin, Andreas Schager, Hera Hyesang Park, Rafael Fingerlos, Measha Brueggergosman, Celso Albelo and Sara Blanch. In addition, he has worked with María Bayo, Carlos Chausson, Mariella Devia, Juan Pons, Isabel Rey and Leontina Vaduva.
He has performed in the world’s most famous venues, including the Vienna State Opera, the Zurich Opera House, La Monnaie in Brussels, the Hungarian State Opera, Carnegie Hall in New York, the Graz Musikverein, the Moscow Conservatory, the Smetana Hall in Prague, the Bulgaria Hall in Sofia, the Usina del Arte in Buenos Aires and the Seoul Arts Centre. International festivals at which he has appeared include the Rossini Opera Festival in Pesaro, the Bregenz Festival and the Savonlinna Opera Festival.
He has accompanied masterclasses for Teresa Berganza, Renata Scotto, Giacomo (Jaume) Aragall, Ileana Cotrubaş, Simon Estes and Frederica von Stade, and was the official pianist for Plácido Domingo’s Operalia. In addition, he is a jury member for the singing competitions of Bilbao and Bogotá.
As a champion of Spain’s musical legacy, he has revived five chamber operas by the tenor and composer Manuel García (1775—1832). His discography is primarily dedicated to Spanish repertory, and includes the albums Granados: Songs Integral, La Seduzione with Carmen Solís, Canciones en la Alhambra, Ensueños with Nancy Fabiola Herrera (2016, AIM) and Ametsetan: Basque Songs with Miren Urbieta-Vega (2019, IBS Classics). For IBS Classics he has also released songs by Emilio Arrieta with Sabina Puértolas under the title Los Cisnes en Palacio (2023) and the album Frühling: Isasi Lieder with Vanessa Goikoetxea featuring works to texts by Heinrich Heine (2025).
Rubén Fernández Aguirre is honorary patron of the Fundación Victoria de los Ángeles.
