Juan Avendaño

Dr. Juan Avendaño is a Colombian pianist, educator, music director, and visual artist whose work bridges performance, scholarship, pedagogy, 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.

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 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. He also serves as Music Director at First United Methodist Church of Eugene, where he is the Sanctuary Choir Director, organist, and pianist.

Dr. Avendaño is actively involved in arts leadership and community music organizations. He serves on the boards of the Oregon Piano Institute and the Murdock International Piano Competition, as well as Concerts at First and the Columbia River Chamber Music Festival. Through these organizations, he contributes to the development of musical performance, education, and cultural programming in Oregon and beyond.

Beyond the piano, Dr. Avendaño is an accomplished visual artist, working as a director, videographer, and photographer for organizations such as the Columbia River Chamber Music Festival and the Piano UO Festival. His visual portfolio can be found at www.sebastianavendano.com.

Powerful, versatile, and committed to innovation, Dr. Avendaño continues to shape a dynamic career in performance, pedagogy, music leadership, visual arts, and community engagement.