Biography
“It’s safe to call him the global ambassador of Spanish guitar”
Pablo Sainz-Villegas has been acclaimed by the international press as the successor of Andrés Segovia and an ambassador of Spanish culture in the world. Since his debut with the New York Philharmonic under the baton of Rafael Frühbeck de Burgos at the Lincoln Center, he has played in more than 40 countries and invited to play with orchestras such as the Berlin Philharmonic, Chicago Symphony, Philharmonic of Israel, Los Angeles Philharmonic, and the National Orchestra of Spain, making him a benchmark for the symphonic guitar.
“A classical guitarist with the ability to bring the audience of Santiago Bernabeu Stadium to their feet”
Plácido Domingo has described him as “the master of the guitar” and with him he has had the privilege of recording his new duo album, as well as participating in the tribute held in his honor at the Santiago Bernabéu stadium in Madrid to an audience of over 85,000 and also in a concert on a floating stage on the Amazon River, televised for millions of people in the world.
His “… virtuosic playing characterized by irresistible exuberance” (The New York Times) make him one of the most acclaimed soloists by prestigious directors, orchestras, and festivals.
Highlights of his international tours with orchestras include Amsterdam Sinfonietta, the National Orchestra of Spain or the New Zealand Symphony. Last season, Sainz Villegas made his debut at Chicago’s Grant Park Music Festival to an audience of 11,000 people and at Praça do Comercio in Lisbon with the Gulbenkian Orchestra.
“Master of the Guitar and an Extraordinary Musician”
Pablo has already appeared on some of the world’s most prestigious stages including Carnegie Hall in New York, the Philharmonie in Berlin, Tchaikovsky Concert Hall in Moscow, the Musikverein in Vienna or the National Arts Center in Beijing. The success of his performances translates into repeated invitations from directors such as Miguel Harth-Bedoya, Carlos Kalmar, Juanjo Mena and Alondra de la Parra. Habitual performer in concerts of institutional and business representation, he has had the privilege of playing before members of the Spanish Royal Family as well as other heads of state and international leaders.
“His Spanish character and passion created a magic atmosphere in the hall.”
Pablo Sainz-Villegas has recorded with the National Orchestra of Spain under the baton of Juanjo Mena the three concerts for guitar and orchestra by Joaquín Rodrigo including the popular Concierto de Aranjuez. He has also recorded for the record label Harmonia Mundi the album “Americano” which is a journey through the musical affluence of the American continent. Currently, Pablo Sainz-Villegas is an exclusive artist of SONY Classical.
A tireless promoter of development of the repertoire for Spanish classical guitar, Pablo Sainz-Villegas has made numerous world premieres among which, ‘Rounds’, the first composition for guitar by five-time Academy Award-winner John Williams, as well as for the composers Tomás Marco, David del Puerto and Sergio Assad.
Pablo Sainz-Villegas has accomplished an impressive collection of over 30 international awards among which include Andrés Segovia, Francisco Tárrega, and Christopher Parkening. Likewise, it has been awarded the “Galardón a las Artes Riojana” and the “Ojo Crítico” Award from Radio Nacional de España, this being the first time that this distinction has been granted to a guitarist. Pablo is a member of the Performing Arts Academy of Spain.
“It’s very exciting to see the appreciation of his exquisite artistry growing worldwide. It is a recognition that he so richly deserves!”
Artist socially committed to the current world, Pablo Sainz-Villegas founded in 2006 the philanthropic project “The legacy of music without borders”, whose mission is to bring music to people as a mean to humanize their environment and promote understanding between different cultures. Thanks to this project he has shared his music with more than 32,000 children and youth in Spain, Mexico, and United States. Pablo Sainz-Villegas was born in La Rioja in Northern Spain and since 2001 he lives in New York City.
And finally,
did you know the following fun facts about Pablo?
01.
Pablo has one hand significantly bigger than the other.
02.
He is the first guitarist to be invited to play with the Berlin Philharmonic at the Philharmonie in 38 years.
03.
Stopped taking English accent clases when his manager told him his Spanish accent was part of his uniqueness!
04.
He has a deep love for dark chocolate and mezcal from Oaxaca, Mexico.
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