Ignacio Herrera

He was born in Cuba in Santa Clara, but received all his education in Ciudad de La Habana, at Cuba's music conservatories, Alejandro García Caturla, the National School of Art, ENA, and at the ISA, Instituto Superior de Arte. Upon graduation, he not only obtained master's degrees in music, composition, and orchestral direction, but also had the opportunity to venture into popular music with the classical foundation provided by his country's conservatories.

His career as a professional pianist has been greatly enriched by the organic contribution of musical talents from his country, which has nourished his artistic performance during his 25 years of artistic life. He has had the privilege of studying with many of the great cultivators of this interesting way of playing, among whom we must mention his father Ignacio Herrera, Nacho Herrera, who gave him the foundation for his entire career as a musician, turning his hobby and passion into his professional life. His father introduced him to Cuba's most important teachers of piano, composition, and orchestral direction: maestro Jorge Gomez Labraña, his mentor, who taught him all the classical aspects of this difficult path; Frank Fernández; Harold Gramatges, professor of harmony and solfège; Alicia Perea, professor and motivator in all her teaching; his musical father Rubén González, whom he followed faithfully in his journey to acquire improvisation and Cuban montunos; maestro of orchestral direction Enrique González Manticci; his maestría Rafael Somavilla; another of the greats, Guido López Gavilán; the inspiration of Chucho Valdés for the combination of jazz and Afro-Cuban music, which he continues to defend in all his presentations, whether classical with symphonic orchestras or at jazz festivals, theaters, or clubs.

He has been involved in many projects since his entry into professional life, having directed high-level orchestras such as the Tropicana Orchestra, Cubanismo, and others. In 2002 he settled in Minneapolis, United States.

In his work as a director, he has been respectful and careful with styles. Currently, he directs several projects: "Nachito trio," "Nachito quartet," "Nachito y su all stars," and performs as a soloist with symphonic orchestras and Big Bands from different locations. He also continues his work as an educator as a full professor at the MacPhail Conservatory of Music.

He has shared the stage with great musicians, and fondly remembers Tata Guines, Rubén González, Chic Corea, Macoy Tiner, José Feliciano, José Perico Hernández, Rolo Martínez, Emilo del Monte, Carlos del Puerto, Manny Lauriano, Doc Severensi, Jesús Alemani, Juan de Marcos, Raúl Pineda, Adalberto Lara trompetica, Jesús Díaz, Carlos Caro, Jhon Boute, Miguel Ángel Anga, Tresero Coto, Pancho Amat, Javier Salva, Tomas Ramos Ortiz el panga, Alberto La Noche, Guajiro Miraval, Luis Alemani el tio, Giovani Hidalgo, Mirdalys Herrera, Elena Burque, Moraima Secada, Omara Portuondo, Soledad Delgado, and many others. He is an artist sponsored by Steinway.

"I hope my career serves as inspiration to new generations to continue defending good music and never let it die," he has expressed.

Four times nominated and two-time winner of the Grammy Award, he is a formidable pianist, described by All About Jazz as someone who "has taken the national stage as a completely evolved artist, brimming with confidence, in complete command of a wide range of traditional and contemporary Cuban idioms, and imparting a virtuoso touch to every aspect of this brilliant production.

Herrera's inventive arrangements and the experience of his musicians produce a program that exudes an organic quality from beginning to end." Jazz critic Neil Tesser described one of Herrera's performances as "...it elevated him to the upper echelon, a trinity composed of Chucho Valdés, Gonzalo Rubalcaba, and now Nachito Herrera."

As a pianist, musical director, composer, arranger, producer, and recording artist, Steinway artist Nachito Herrera has worked with groups such as Cubanismo, Buena Vista Social Club, AfroCuba Allstars, and Nachito Herrera and the Universals.

Over the last 30 years, he has performed at major international jazz festivals, including The Gilmore, Amsterdam, North Sea, Montreal, San Francisco, Telluride, and Vail Jazz Festival, among many others.

After an early successful performance with the Havana Symphony Orchestra, Herrera embarked on an extensive tour of Europe. He later became the Musical Director of the Tropicana Club in Havana and joined the famous Latin jazz group ¡Cubanismo! as lead pianist, arranger, and musical director, which accumulated numerous awards for its recordings and performances. After a winter 2009 tour as a member of The Afro Cuban All Stars, Nachito embarked on an extensive worldwide solo tour. Since then he has performed in the most prestigious halls in Europe, Asia, Africa, Canada, Central and South America, Australia, and the United States.

As a soloist with orchestra, he conducted an extensive tour with the Cuban National Symphony, giving 47 performances on his American tour. He has appeared with the Minnesota Orchestra, the Wayzata Symphony Orchestra, the Valencia Symphony Orchestra, the Naples Philharmonic Orchestra, the Minnesota Youth Symphony, the Metropolitan Orchestra, the Chippewa Valley Symphony, the Big Band of the University of Wisconsin Eau Claire. He has performed under the baton of Doc Severinsen, Giancarlo Guerrero, Chick Corea, Manny Laureano, Marlene Pauley, Ramón Tebar, and William Kroll.

Nachito was nominated for an Emmy Award for the 2017 PBS program, Minnesota Original: Nachito Herrera. Barack Obama granted him the American Heritage Award; the 2014 Distinguished Immigrant Award from the American Immigration Lawyers Association; the 2015 Minnesota Distinguished Immigrant Award; and the Minnesota Music Awards for Best Latin Jazz Artist for three consecutive years. The Proclamation of Nachito Herrera Day was celebrated on December 1, 2018.

An enthusiastic pedagogue, Herrera teaches jazz performance and composition, classical performance, theory, harmony, improvisation, and solfège at MacPhail Center for the Arts. He has performed and given master classes at The Gilmore Keyboard Festival and for Minnesota Youth Symphonies, and has been an adjudicator for the Dakota Jazz Competition for the Dakota Jazz Education Foundation.

He has conducted artist residencies at conservatories and universities, including The Juilliard School, Berklee College of Music, University of Chicago, University of Washington, University of Wisconsin, University of North Dakota, University of Iowa (Iowa City and Cedar Falls), and Mankato State University.