David González Ladrón de Guevara

 

David González Ladrón de Guevara was born December 15th, 1996 in Guadalajara, Jalisco, México with Miller Syndrome. Despite having four fingers on each hand and difficulties extending his fingers, David began piano lessons with his aunt, Rocío González Moya, at age four. He played his first public recital at age ten.

 

In October 2009 David won first place in the Second International Piano Festival for People with Disabilities, in Vancouver, BC, Canada, and received the Junior Gold Prize among contestants from twelve countries. David also received the Originality Award for playing a four hands Mexican potpourri with his father. His outstanding performance earned him an invitation to play a concert, along with the other winners of the festival, in Tokio, Japan later that year, where the ex-prime minister, Tsutomu Hata, personally awarded him the Certificate of Achievement.

 

David González has performed in several concert halls throughout Mexico, as well as in the United States, Austria, Italy, Germany and Japan.

 

 He has received numerous awards, such as the 2009 State Youth Prize, awarded by the governor of the state of Jalisco; the 2009 Annual Prize, granted by the Society of Geography and Statistics of Jalisco to citizens with outstanding achievements; and the 2013 National Youth Award for Disability and Integration, the most prestigious award granted by the President of Mexico to young citizens under the age of eighteen.

 

In 2010, David toured Japan with his father, playing concerts in Kumamoto, Kyoto, Chiba and Tokyo. In November 2011 he debuted as a soloist with orchestra, playing with the Symphonic Youth Orchestra of Guadalajara.

 

 David has participated in several charity concerts, such as

• In the 2010 International Day of Persons with Disabilities convention in Guadalajara; and the 2010 Foundation for Nager and Miller Syndrome benefit concert in Chicago.

• As a soloist with the Symphonic Youth Orchestra of Guadalajara (OSIJUG) in the 2011 Parapan American Games in Guadalajara, Mexico.

• As a conductor with the OSIJUG during the First Disabilities Expo (Expodiscapacidad) in Guadalajara, November 2012.

 

In November 2013, David González participated once again in the International Piano Festival for People with Disabilities, held in Vienna, Austria, winning second place in the Under-18 category and third place in the Multiple Disabilities category among contestants of all ages.

 

In July 2015 he won two first prizes in the “International Asia and Pan Pacific Piano Festival for pianists with disabilities” held in Tokyo, Japan.