The UPC has conferred an honorary doctoral degree on pianist Ignasi Terraza
The ceremony to confer an honorary doctoral degree on jazz pianist Ignasi Terraza has taken place in Barcelona on 21 March. Ignasi Terraza, a graduate from the Barcelona School of Informatics, was the first person with visual impairment to graduate in Informatics in Spain.
Mar 21, 2024
The proposal to confer an honorary doctoral degree on Ignasi Terraza was promoted by the Executive Council and the Standing Committee of the Barcelona School of Informatics (FIB), his alma mater. With this distinction, the Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya - BarcelonaTech (UPC) aims to recognise Terraza’s contribution as a role model for engineering students who are visually impaired, as well as his connection with the University.
The ceremony has taken place in the ONCE Auditorium on 21 March.
A musician with international success
Ignasi Terraza (Barcelona, 1962) is one of the most prominent jazz pianists in Spain with a significant international presence. He began studying piano at the Conservatory of Barcelona at the age of 11, just two years after losing his sight. Although he was studying classical piano, his curiosity for the jazz language and his ability to improvise led him to explore this musical style self-taught.
His interest in technology led him to study Informatics Engineering at the FIB, which he combined with his musical education and performances in Barcelona. He became the first person with visual impairment to graduate in this discipline in Spain, a milestone that was aided by the emergence of new terminals and adaptability measures.
After working for six years as a computer engineer, he focused exclusively on music. His discography includes more than 30 releases edited in Spain, France, Switzerland, and Japan, eight of which with his Trio, with which he has toured countries in Europe, America, Asia and Africa. In total, he has released over 60 albums with different musical formations.
In 1999, he premiered the Jazz in the Dark show at Teatreneu, offering the audience the experience of enjoying a jazz concert in complete darkness. The success of this initiative prompted the trio to take the show to additional venues, collaborating with other artists such as the Tangent theatre group at the Barcelona Grec Festival in 2008.
In 2005, he established Swit Records, his own label dedicated entirely to jazz, which combines the activities of a record label with promotion and music management. Terraza has also composed music for theatre and television, such as for the show Una mà de contes, the film Ull per ull, the sound stories of COM Ràdio and the musical El vestit de l'emperador, which was performed at the Teatre Nacional de Catalunya in the 2008 and 2009 seasons and for which he was a Max Award nominee as best composer.
Since 2003, he has combined his stage performances with teaching at the Catalonia College of Music (ESMUC).
Among the numerous awards that he has received throughout his career, the first prize at the Jacksonville Jazz Piano Competition in 2009 stands out as one of the most prestigious musical awards.
Ignasi Terraza serves as an inspiring figure for the UPC community who combines technological expertise with musical talent, allowing him to explore new perspectives and to tackle challenges with a distinctive approach.
