José Iturbi Biography

Fast Facts

• Studied piano at the Valencia Conservatory at the age of 11 and later, at age 15, the people of his home town collected money to send him to the Paris Conservatoire
• Frequently performed with his sister, Amparo Iturbi, also a talented pianist, in the U․S․ and Europe
• Began playing the piano when he was only 3 years old and by the age of 7 he was earning money by performing in street cafes
• Made his first appearance as a conductor in Mexico City in 1933 and from then on performed as both a pianist and conductor
• Toured all across the world in the 1910s and 1920s, making his American debut in 1929 with the Philadelphia Orchestra
• Was the conductor of the Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra from 1936 to 1944 and also led the Valencia Symphony Orchestra for many years
• Best known as a conductor, pianist, and harpsichordist who appeared in the films "Anchors Aweigh" and "Thousands Cheer․"
• Was a professor at the Geneva Conservatory from 1919 to 1923