Luis Solis is a Piano and Composition Teacher for Gray School of Music
Luis Solis is a pianist, composer, and music educator hailing from San Pedro Sula, Honduras. He holds master’s degrees in both piano and music composition, and has a broad and diverse range of teaching experience. He maintains a fulfilling musical career in the DFW area as both a teacher and pianist, and an active composer of new music.
Luis Solis started his music education at age 6, and three years after, he began taking piano lessons from Honduran pianist/composer Sergio Suazo. From very early in his career he knew that he wanted to become a musician and enrolled in one of the only music conservatories in his country to further this goal. During his time in Honduras as a student, and later as piano teacher, Mr. Solis was able to participate in a wide variety of musical events that ranged from solo recitals to choir concerts and orchestral performances. In 2013 Mr. Solis became the head of the piano department of the music conservatory in his city. During this time, he oversaw all activities related to the piano program, which included teaching piano students, organizing recitals, teaching masterclasses, accompanying concerts, overseeing the rest of the piano faculty from the conservatory, and recreating the piano curriculum of the conservatory which needed to be updated at the time.
In 2015, Luis Solis earned a scholarship that allowed him to start his undergraduate studies in piano performance at Illinois State University. It was during his time at ISU when Mr. Solis discovered a whole new realm of interest and possibilities for his music career—the field of music composition. He started his degree in composition while continuing his studies in piano performance and graduated with both degrees summa cum laude. In 2019, Mr. Solis moved to Texas to begin his graduate studies at SMU, where he obtained his master’s degrees, also in Piano Performance and Music Composition.
As a pianist, Mr. Solis has performed in numerous recitals nationally and internationally, both as a soloist and in a chamber music setting. He won second place twice in the ISMTA competition, and received acknowledgments and scholarships for his achievements during his time at Illinois State University. As a composer, Mr. Solis has premiered several of his pieces in Illinois and Texas, and in 2022 presented his most recent orchestral work with the Irving Symphony Orchestra as their student composer-in-residence.
As an educator, Luis Solis has worked with students of all ages and enjoys discovering the best approaches to make a connection between the student and the subject he is teaching. To Mr. Solis, cultivating a full understanding and enjoyment of music is of the upmost importance. He likes to challenge his students to think beyond the notes written in the music and to bring meaning to what they are learning and performing.
Mr. Solis loves spending time with his family (and his two cats), and in particular enjoys hiking with his wife, who is also a pianist, and performing piano duos and duets with her. In his free time, Mr. Solis likes playing video games, going out to discover new restaurants, or simply spending some quiet time in nature.
