Dr. Juan Avendaño is a Colombian pianist, educator, and visual artist whose work bridges performance, scholarship, and multimedia creation. He holds degrees from the National University of Colombia, Western Michigan University, and the University of Oregon, where he completed his Doctor of Musical Arts in Piano Performance and Master’s in Collaborative Piano under Dr. Alexandre Dossin and Dr. David Riley.
Winner of competitions such as the Jaqueline Avent Concerto Competition, Cali Philharmonic Concerto Competition, and the Young Artist Competition from Banco de la República de Colombia, Dr. Avendaño has performed with ensembles including the Eugene Symphony, Oregon Mozart Players, Rogue Valley Symphony, Orchestra Next, and the Southwest Michigan Orchestra. His festival appearances include Bowdoin, Gilmore, and Ad Astra.
Dr. Avendaño maintains an active academic presence, presenting at NCKP, MTNA, OMTA, the Encuentro Nacional de Pianos de Costa Rica, and the Festival of Creative Pianists, sharing work on Colombian music, electronic music, and his newly released pedagogical book Sight and Sound.
A dedicated teacher, Dr. Avendaño has taught at the National University of Colombia and Western Michigan University, and currently serves as Instructor of Secondary Piano & Piano Pedagogy at the University of Oregon, music director of First United Methodist Church, and coordinator of the concert series Concerts at First in Eugene.
Beyond the piano, Dr. Avendaño is an accomplished visual artist, working as a director, videographer, photographer and board member for organizations such as the Columbia River Chamber Music Festival and the Oregon Piano Institute. His visual portfolio can be found at http://www.sebastianavendano.com.
Watch Juan Sebastián Avendaño perform Nocturne N. 2 in B Major, Op. 33 N. 2 by Gabriel Faure on the piano for the 2026 Classical Music Competition as part of the Charleston International Music Competition.