José Vianna da Motta

Vianna da Motta was an artist of fundamental importance in the realm of modern piano performance. As Franz Liszt's last major pupil, he helped found a new tradition of piano playing, which was both brilliant and yet tempered. Known throughout Europe as a great performer and teacher, he eventually resided in Berlin, where he shared with the Italian composer, Ferrucio Busoni, a leadership among the talented group of pianists who settled there after the death of Liszt. Among them were d'Albert, Carreno, Hoffmann, Rachmaninov, Rosenthal, Schnabel, and Scriabin.

Forced to leave Berlin because of World War I, Vianna da Motta eventually took a position in Geneva where he taught the Conservatory's class of virtuosity, a class over which Liszt himself had presided in previous years.

Although highly regarded by those who knew his performance and teaching. Vianna da Motta is not widely known to this generation because he rarely toured outside Portugal after the war and left precious few recordings. Through the great success of the Vianna da Motta International Piano Competition and through the aspirations of the Foundation for his archives, Sequeira Costa and his distinguished pupils hope to continue the legacy of such great artistry and pedagogy which was known in the man Vianna da Motta.