Nena Del Rosario-Villanueva: Filipina Prodigy Who Studied Under Vladimir Horowitz

Written by Joseph John L. Verallo  |  November 11, 2025

The historic Filipina pianist Nena del Rosario-Villanueva holds the titles of the first Filipina pianist to play at Carnegie Hall, the first Filipina to enter the Curtis Institute of Music, and the first Filipina soloist to play with the New York Philharmonic, to name just a few of her accolades.

Born on September 22, 1935, in Iloilo City, del Rosario spent her childhood in a war-torn Philippines. Fleeing to the mountains during World War II, she and her family hid in bamboo homes. There, del Rosario’s devotion to music was evident, especially to her mother, who hired twenty men to carry their upright piano through hills and rice fields into their home. 

Her talent could not be denied. At ten years old, she could already play Chopin’s etudes and concertos from memory. At the same age, del Rosario would perform with the Manila Symphony Orchestra during the inauguration of the Philippine Republic in 1946 at the Quirino Grandstand. Her performance made such an impression on the Filipino people that the composer General Julio Nakpil approached del Rosario to give her a score of the national anthem.

At the age of 11, she was accepted into the Curtis Institute of Music, where she was mentored by Isabelle Vengerova, who also instructed names like Samuel Barber, Leonard Bernstein, and Gary Graffman. Most notably, del Rosario also studied under the legendary pianist Vladimir Horowitz after winning a competition, for which the prize was two months of tutelage under the great Russian pianist. In an interview with DZFE, Dr. Alegria Ferrer described her as responsible for bringing the Russian piano-playing technique to the Philippines.

Del Rosario’s legacy, most of all, was the immense love she had for her country, a country to which she brought international recognition through her talent and artistry.