Podcast - Vicente Alamo and Isabel Dobarro

David Fogel Interviews Composer Vicente Alamo 
and Friend of the Show Latin Grammy Winner Isabel Dobarro

Vicente Álamo

Vicente Álamo is a Spanish composer, pianist, and executive producer whose work brings together contemporary symphonic music, classical traditions, and cinematic storytelling. His compositions are characterized by their emotional depth, rich orchestral textures, and a musical language that combines melodic expression with minimalist influences.

His relationship with music began at the age of six, when he started studying piano. From an early age, composing came naturally to him, becoming one of the greatest passions of his life. Although he only began releasing his music publicly in recent years, he has been composing throughout his life, continuously developing his own musical voice.

His academic background includes studies in composition and orchestration for film and television through Berklee College of Music’s online programs, as well as formal musical training in Bulgaria, where he obtained his music qualification.

Álamo has developed a close relationship with London’s legendary Abbey Road Studios, where he has recorded several of his major orchestral works alongside internationally renowned musicians and recording professionals.

In 2026, he released Persephone – Piano Concerto No. 1, one of his most personal and ambitious projects to date. Recorded on July 19, 2026, at Abbey Road Studio Two with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, the concerto features pianist Isabel Dobarro as soloist and Alberto G. López as conductor. The production team included Grammy-winning producer and engineer Javier Monteverde and recording engineer John Barrett.

Released on August 12, 2026, through his independent label Sonnen Music, Persephone is a four-movement concerto inspired by the Greek myth of Persephone. Beyond the mythology, the work tells a deeply personal story of struggle, transformation, resilience, and hope, dedicated to one of the most important women in the composer’s life.

Beyond his own compositions, Álamo has worked as an orchestrator and arranger, including his contribution to the closing track of Malicia by Spanish rock band Mägo de Oz, an album nominated for Best Rock Album at the 2026 Latin Grammy Awards.

On April 11, 2027, his music will be presented at Madrid’s National Music Auditorium in a concert featuring Le Caprice and Persephone, performed by the Madrid Sinfónica Décimo Arte under Alberto G. López, with soloists Isabel Dobarro and Hilary Summers. www.vicentealamo.com

Isabel Dobarro

“Isabel Dobarro is one of the most brilliant pianists with the greatest international projection, possessing a refined technique accompanied by great interpretive ductility that allows her to tackle the most varied repertoires.” Tomás Marco (Scherzo, 2024)

“She is also a formidable and thrilling exponent of such works and this disc is an outstanding example of both her driving ambition to showcase women’s compositions and her riveting talent” Steve Arloff (MusicWeb International, 2025)

Winner of the Latin Grammy® in the Best Classical Album category, Dr. Isabel Dobarro is considered one of Spain's most internationally renowned pianists. "Woman to Follow in Culture in 2021," Professor at the Katarina Gurska Conservatory, President of the European Music Center Spain, and Visiting Professor at the London Performing Academy of Music in London (UK), Isabel has developed her career in the United States, Spain, Germany, Russia, Belgium, France, Argentina, Italy, and Portugal. She has performed at Carnegie Hall, and numerous prestigious venues worldwide.

Her CD, Kaleidoscope, released by the prestigious record label Naxos Grand Piano, has received unanimous acclaim from audiences and critics alike. In addition to winning a Latin Grammy® in the Best Classical Album category, it has been awarded the Melómano de Oro, Premio Latino, and has been honored at the Petrichor Music Competition and the Global Music Awards (Silver Medal).

Her work has been recognized by national and international media such as CNN, Fanfare Magazine, Opera News (her album on Pauline Viardot was selected by critics) in the United States, Pianist Magazine (where her recordings were chosen to commemorate Teresa Carreño) in the United Kingdom, Radio Nacional and La Nación in Argentina, El Mundo (where she appeared on the cover), El País, ABC, La Vanguardia, Vanity Fair, Vogue, Telva (considered one of the 10 Spanish women of the 21st century), and many other publications.

Isabel performed on Alexander Unseth's Symphonina No. 3 (Painted City), which appears on Symphonina Stories: New Horizons, as part of the 2026 International Symphonina Orchestra. We share some excerpts of her performances, both isolated and with the entire orchestra here, along with updates on her recent recording session at Abbey Road Studios.

Please enjoy this long-format conversation between David Fogel (CEO, The Symphonina Foundation) with Vicente and Isabel