Maria Zubimendi

Hailed by critics for her exceptional technique and musicianship, as well as for her ‘powerful presence and body language’ (Scherzo), Maria Zubimendi is considered one of the most important accordionists of her generation.

Born in Zumaia (Gipuzkoa) in 1994, Maria Zubimendi started her accordion studies with Miren Iñarga, later graduating from Musikene, the Conservatory of the Basque Country, where she studied with Iñaki Alberdi. She then went on to take a master’s degree in contemporary music at the Musikhochschule FHNW in Basel.

Maria Zubimendi has won several awards in national and international competitions, including second prize at the Klingenthal International Accordion Competition (Germany), first prize at the Santa Cecilia International Accordion Competition (Rome, Italy) and first prize at the Arrasate Hiria International Competition (Basque Country). As a soloist, she has given recitals at such prestigious venues as the Auditorio Nacional de Música in Madrid, the Fundación Juan March, the Auditorio de Tenerife, the Centro Galego de Arte Contemporánea, and the LAC Teatrostudio in Lugano.

In addition to her work as a traditional performer, she regularly collaborates with artists from different disciplines, driven by her interest in experimentation. Maria Zubimendi has taken part in groundbreaking artistic projects of all styles and types, and her commitment to contemporary music is reflected in the many premieres she has given of works by composers such as José María Sánchez-Verdú, Félix Ibarrondo, Francisco Domínguez, Ramon Lazkano, Caspar Johannes Walter, Chantale Laplante, Mikel Chamizo and Sofia Avramidou.

Maria Zubimendi works closely with many different classical and contemporary ensembles, but among her main chamber music projects are eXpreSSio duo, formed with fellow accordionist Garazi Navas, and, in particular, Trio Zukan, which has established itself as a benchmark ensemble on the contemporary music scene in Spain. She co-founded the latter with Jon Ansorena (txistu) and Gorka Catediano (percussion), and has performed with them as far afield as Canada, the Netherlands, Cyprus and Sweden.

Having also studied cultural management at the International University of La Rioja, Maria Zubimendi currently combines her performing career with management responsibilities at some of the Basque Country’s leading musical institutions.