Daniel Eras
An active and accomplished pianist, Daniel Eras has received accolades for performances in his native Costa Rica, as well as across Europe, the United States, and Russia. He has appeared at prestigious venues such as Carnegie Hall and the Moscow International House of Music, and performed with orchestras including the Wiener Residenz Orchester in Austria, the Boccherini Institute Orchestra in Italy, and the Costa Rica National Symphony Orchestra.
A laureate of numerous competitions and festivals, Daniel received the First Prize and the Chopin Prize at the MTNA National Senior Piano Competition, and earned top honors at the 4th International Piano Competition of Slavic Music in Paris, the Franz Liszt Center International Piano Competition in Spain, Schubert Club Scholarship Competition, the Thursday Musical Scholarship Competition, and the New York Piano Festival and Competition, where he was awarded the “National Heritage” special prize. Additionally, Daniel has been a semifinalist at the San José International Piano Competition, and the e-Piano Competition, where he received the “Rising Stars” special prize, among others.
Daniel left Costa Rica to further his pianistic education as a scholarship student at the University of Minnesota. Under the tutelage of Alexander Braginsky, a former student of Alexander Goldenweiser, he earned master’s degrees in Piano Performance and Music Theory. Currently, he is pursuing a Doctor of Musical Arts degree in Piano Performance at NYU Steinhardt, where he studies with Eteri Andjaparidze. He has participated in masterclasses with Jan Michiels (Royal Conservatory of Brussels), Ana Maria Trenchi Botazzi and Bruno Botazzi (Botazzi School of Music), Victoria Mushkatkol (Juilliard School), Ala Bendoraitiene (Ciurlionis National Academy of Music), Bruce Brubaker (New England Conservatory), and Miroslav Kultyshev (St. Petersburg Conservatory).
As a music instructor, I strive to empower students to think critically and creatively, providing them with the tools needed to develop a strong foundation in piano playing. I view music as a language that helps us explore an abstract, discover multiple perspectives, and communicate those perspectives. My teaching is energetic, inclusive, and student-centered, incorporating live performance, technology, and diverse repertoire to foster engagement. As a former international student, I value inclusive pedagogy and continuous growth. Ultimately, I aim to make music a vibrant, relevant, and thought-provoking subject that supports students in and beyond music classes.