Ariana Hernández Vera (Cuernavaca, Mexico, 2003) is a pianist and composer whose artistic practice is centered on contemporary music, interdisciplinary collaboration, and the exploration of diverse forms of musical expression. Alongside her work as a performer, she is actively involved in the creation, dissemination, and development of new music through collaborations with composers, ensembles, and artistic institutions across Europe and Latin America.
She has performed at numerous international festivals and concert series, including NyMusikk, Festspillene i Bergen, Tospann (Norway), impuls Festival, Leicht über Linz Festival, CMS Lecture Series (Austria), Time of Music Festival (Finland), Porto Pianofest, Oeiras Piano Festival (Portugal), Hosq Foundation (Armenia), Festival Aires (Mexico), Rondo Divertimento Ensemble (Italy), among many others.
Ariana has been an Artist-in-Residence at abeceda Institut - infra.norma.meta (Netherlands/Slovenia) and serves as principal artist of the Piano Laboratory at Red Mexicana de Composición (Mexican Composition Network). Through these platforms, she fosters close artistic partnerships and contributes to the creation and performance of new works within both the Mexican and international contemporary music scenes.
She is currently engaged in several recording projects and world premieres of works by emerging and established composers, as well as a long-term project dedicated to the complete piano works of Conlon Nancarrow. Alongside her performing career, she is also developing her own compositional work.
Her artistic development has been shaped by collaborations, masterclasses, and mentorship from leading performers and composers, including Bertrand Chamayou, Nicolas Hodges, Alfonso Gómez, Mark Knoop, Leif Ove Andsnes, Florian Hölscher, Stefan Wirth, Maiko Mori, Talvi Hunt, Dimitrios Polisoidis, Benedicte Palko, Meesun Hong Coleman, Pietro De Maria, Matthew Shlomowitz, Talia Amar, and Asia Ahmetjanova, among others.
Her musical journey began at the age of three in her hometown of Cuernavaca, where she studied with pianist and soprano Akie Ito Breton. From an early age, she performed regularly throughout Mexico in a wide variety of venues and artistic settings. At the age of fifteen, she was awarded a scholarship from the Heinrich-Fries-Stiftung in Munich, Germany, which enabled her to continue her studies with Prof. Aleksandra Romanić. She subsequently pursued further training in Hamburg with Prof. Delphine Lizé and pianist Wera Wassiljeva.
She is currently studying at the Anton Bruckner University in Linz, Austria, under the guidance of Prof. Saskia Giorgini and Prof. Andreas Weixler, and was awarded a Rotary Club scholarship.
In addition, she participated in the Artistic Enhancement Program of the Davidsbündler Academy in The Hague, founded by pianist Anna Fedorova, where she studied with Prof. Borys Fedorov. She also attended the Divertimento Ensemble Academy in Milan under the guidance of Prof. Maria Grazia Bellocchio and has received ongoing mentorship from pianist Mathilde Hoursiangou in Vienna.
Beyond the traditional concert repertoire, Ariana maintains a broad artistic interest in chamber music, improvisation, jazz, computer music, media composition, and alternative keyboard instruments such as the toy piano. Her work reflects a deep commitment to artistic curiosity, experimentation, and the continuous search for new musical languages.