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Roberto Verastegui

About Me

Pianist, composer and educator Roberto Verastegui (b.1988) is appearing in the international jazz scene as a young promising musician. Since he moved to Texas on a scholarship to study at the University of North Texas three years ago, he has had the opportunity to perform with musicians like Fred Hamilton, Lynn Seaton, Tony Baker, Stockton Helbing, Shelley Carroll, Adonis Rose, Quamon Fowler, Jiggs Wigham, Tim Warfield, Tim Armacost, Miles Okazaki, Ingrid Jensen, Billy Hart and Curtis Fuller, and has performed and toured with many different groups in Asia, Europe and the American Continent. In spring 2009 Roberto was selected as one of five finalists worldwide to compete in the renowed Phillips Jazz Piano Competition in Florida, and won 3rd place. Currently, Roberto is the pianist for the world famous UNT One O'Clock Lab Band.

Over these two years Roberto has had the opportunity to study with Dan Haerle, Paul Dworak, Steven Harlos, Kevin Hays, Dan Tepfer, Tayor Eigsti and John Clayton. Currently he is having his classical piano studies in the studio of Anastasia Markina, and his formal jazz piano studies with Stefan Karlsson. He has also been in master classes and clinics by Billy Childs, Chris Potter, John Abercrombie, Kevin Hays, Taylor Eigsti, Ari Hoenig, Orlando LeFlemming, Nasheet Waits, Kenny Werner, Rufus Reid and Clay Jenkins to mention a few.

Roberto Verastegui began playing the piano at the age of 8, picking up melodies by ear and learning tunes from his father (Roberto Verastegui Rdz). He began playing gigs at 10, playing cocktail piano and commercial stuff all around Mexico. At age 13 Roberto discovered latin and contemporary jazz and began listening to Chick Corea and Bill Evans records. He began his classical piano studies when he was 15 and studied with Roxana Rodriguez, Teresa Tamez and Amalia de Leon and studied harmony and counterpoint with Patricio Gomez Junco. During his high school years he got involved in musical theater, pop and regional music groups, and quickly broke into the Monterrey jazz scene playing in many latin jazz and traditional jazz combos. In this period of time he toured France and Portugal with the group Raices PrepaTec. During all these years Roberto learned to play many instruments by himself, including Accordion, Guitar, Marimba, Vibes, Vihuela and Percussion, and he has had the opportunity to play in many different and diverse groups around the world.