Achúcarro was born in Bilbao, Spain, and grew up in the difficult years of the Spanish post-war period. He began piano lessons at the Bilbao Conservatory and in 1946, at the age of 13, made his concerto debut in Bilbao playing a Mozart concerto with a local orchestra.[1] As a teenager, he moved to Madrid to study for a degree in physics, although soon after his graduation he devoted himself totally to the study of music and moved to Siena, Italy to study at the Accademia Musicale Chigiana.[2] He also had lessons with José Cubiles.
Achucarro's style is characterized by a poetic sound with clean technique that is not flamboyant. Achucarro is celebrated for his interpretations of Brahms, Rachmaninoff, and Ravel as well as several Spanish composers.[5]
^"Historical Background". International Piano Competition Foundation Ferruccio Busoni Bolzano Bozen. Archived from the original on 14 November 2009. Retrieved 15 August 2009.