A DREAM CONCERT...
I'm Santiago Lara, musician. That's how I would describe myself.
I'm also a guitarist, composer, arranger, etc.
But I define myself as a musician because, above all, I love music. All styles (or almost all).
I'm a guitarist because my older brother, Paco, is one.
I admired him and he taught me how to play this instrument.
I grew up in Jerez de la Frontera, a city in southern Andalusia (Spain), where flamenco is the music we hear and live with. That's why my training as a musician and almost my entire career has been centred around this wonderful music.
I am flamenco. It is in my DNA forever.
Now that I have told you who I am, I would like to tell you that from a very early age I was attracted to other musical styles, including, of course, classical and symphonic music.
I studied classical music at the conservatory and from the moment I had to learn to analyse works by geniuses such as Mozart, Beethoven, Falla, etc., I knew that one day I had to compose music for a symphony orchestra.
It became a dream, a kind of obsession, a goal in my life...
At the age of 16, I composed some of the melodies that you can now hear in this work.
I could already imagine in my head how those melodies would sound when played ‘tutti’ by a great orchestra... How wonderful... Would I ever achieve it?
Shortly afterwards, at the age of 18, I was extremely fortunate to be called by Maestro Manolo Sanlúcar (a legend of flamenco art) to join his cast and be his partner.
Thanks to this gift, I was able to play with him, analyse and understand his symphonic work for guitar and orchestra, ‘Medea’.
That was another turning point in my career and my training as an artist.
Many years passed and I continued composing, playing, learning from other geniuses, ‘stealing’ their ideas and thoughts, forming my ‘database’ so that I could build (or at least try to build) my own identity and personality as a musician.
Curiously, it was at the home of Maestro Manolo Sanlúcar, many years later, where I decided to compose this work.
And to compose it 100%. That is, to compose and orchestrate for all the instruments of the orchestra.
He told me: ‘Santi, you must do it, you have a gift for it. You can't ignore that.’
He also advised me that if I wanted the piece to sound the way I felt and be personal, I should do all the orchestration myself.
I left that meeting feeling very motivated.
Over the following months, I studied orchestration (self-taught) and listened to hundreds of symphonic works.
The music was in my head!
Now I had to put it on the stave...
And then rehearse it, play it and premiere it...
For the premiere, I had the help of conductor José Colomé, who gave me the confidence I needed to believe in this work. Thank you, my friend!
I also had the collaboration of the wonderful Álvarez Beigbeder Orchestra.
The work premiered on 17 November 2023 at the theatre in my city.
In Jerez de la Frontera.
The city where, 22 years ago, a boy fantasised about symphonic melodies in his head...
Where he dreamed that one day he would play his own Concerto for Guitar and Orchestra with an orchestra...
If you dream it, pursue it and work very, very hard, sometimes dreams come true...
I hope you enjoy my ‘Concerto No. 1 for Spanish Guitar and Orchestra’.
SANTIAGO LARA
SANTIAGO LARA
GUITARIST AND COMPOSER
Santiago Lara is one of the most brilliant and versatile guitarists and composers of his
generation. At 40 years of age, he can look back on a 25-year career in which
he has combined his work as a performer and composer. Over the past year and a half
he has cemented his rise as a concert guitarist and composer, as on
17 November 2023, his ‘Concerto No. 1
for Guitar and Orchestra’ will premiere at the Teatro Villamarta in Jerez as part of the
‘Sonidos españoles’ gala, a gala for symphony orchestra and guitar, which he has complemented with his
the interpretation of Joaquín Rodrigo's famous ‘Concierto de Aranjuez’.
Among the highlights of his current concert schedule is the opening concert of the
Córdoba International Guitar Festival 2023, where he will perform the symphonic work of his
teacher Manolo Sanlúcar, ‘Medea’, together with the Córdoba Orchestra conducted by
Michael Thomas, which he had previously performed with the Murcia University Symphony Orchestra
in November 2022.
He distinguished himself at an early age, winning the most important prizes in the world of flamenco
: 1st PRIZE AT THE BIENAL DE SEVILLA in 2000 at the age of only 16 and 2nd PRIZE
IN THE INTERNATIONAL FLAMENCO COMPETITION OF CÓRDOBA in 2004.
For this reason, he was hired by Maestro Manolo Sanlúcar (guitar legend alongside Paco
de Lucía) as second guitar for his tours, with works such as ‘MEDEA’ and ‘LOCURA DE
BRISA Y TRINO’.
With him, he travelled extensively around the world: France, Italy, Mexico, USA, Turkey, etc.
In his solo career, Santiago has already released five albums, demonstrating his creative ability
and versatility:
- ‘El sendero de lo imposible’ (2008) was his debut album featuring his own compositions. It won him the award for best debut album from
the renowned specialist website ‘deflamenco.com’.
- ‘Sentimientos Nuevos’ (2012) Second album featuring his own compositions.
- ‘Flamenco Tribute to Pat Metheny’ (2016 Warner Music) Arrangements and adaptations by Santiago of eight songs by the jazz genius. This album was
acclaimed by critics and international audiences.
- ‘La Guitarra en el Tiempo’ (2019) Live album with interpretations of the best compositions for flamenco guitar, composed by
geniuses such as Paco de Lucía, Sabicas, Manolo Sanlúcar, etc.
- ‘Tu Canción en mi Guitarra’ (2021) Album with cover versions of legendary songs such as ‘Fragile’ by Sting and ‘Armando's Rumba’ by Chick Corea. All
arrangements are by Santiago, and artists such as Ismael Jordi, Rocío Márquez and Josemi Carmona also feature.
As a concert guitarist, he has given concerts to worldwide acclaim:
Flamenco Festival New York, Flamenco Festival London, Festival de Jerez, Bienal de Sevilla, Festival de la Guitarra de Córdoba, Festival Flamenco
de Mont de Marsan (France), Festival Flamenco de Tampere (Finland), Bienal de Flamenco de Querétaro (Mexico), Bimhuis in Amsterdam,
International House of Music (Moscow), Embassy in Berlin, Flamenco Festival in Poznan (Poland), Kölner Philharmonie (Cologne, Germany), Guitar Festival
Hersbruck (Germany), etc.
As a composer, Santiago has composed the music for the 11 shows/ballets of the Compañía de Mercedes Ruiz, the wife of Santiago and one of the
greatest figures in Spanish dance today.
Together they have won important prizes, including twice the CRITICS' PRIZE OF THE FESTIVAL OF JEREZ and the AUDIENCE PRIZE OF THE FESTIVAL
DE JEREZ, GIRALDILLO AL TOQUE EN LA BIENAL DE SEVILLA 2018... (world-renowned competitions for Spanish/flamenco dance).
His shows have been performed in the world's best theatres:
Teatre de Ville (Paris), Maison de la Danse (Lyon), Teatro la Fenice (Venice), Auditorium Parco della Musica (Rome), Sadler's Wells (London),
International House of Music (Moscow), Teatro Lope de Vega (Seville) and many others.
As a composer/arranger, he has also created important works for opera singers such as Ainhoa Arteta and Ismael Jordi. With this
important tenor, he has given several concerts together with the Cologne Philharmonic Orchestra in Germany.
He has also worked with such important flamenco artists as Estrella Morente, Rocío Márquez, Antonio Canales, etc.
MERCEDES RUIZ
BAILAORA AND CHOREOGRAPHER
Mercedes Ruiz (Jerez de la Frontera, 1980) is one of the great references in contemporary dance
worldwide. Her commitment to classical training has not prevented her from
developing her own style of dance in parallel throughout her long professional career.
She has built her career by learning from the great masters and also through self-study,
giving each of her creations her own personal touch.
She has choreographed for the Spanish National Ballet, notably for the piece ‘Zaguán’, and
has set to music compositions such as ‘Tauromagia’ by guitarist Manolo Sanlúcar, undoubtedly one of
her latest great successes. In addition, with her own company, founded in 2003, she has created and produced eleven shows
in which she beautifully expresses her artistic development, a
development she has showcased on major stages such as Sadler's Wells in London, the Teatro la
Fenice in Venice, the Crocus City Hall in Moscow and the New York City Center in New York.
During her extensive professional career, Mercedes Ruiz has received important awards, including
the Antonio Gades Prize at the 16th National Competition in Córdoba, the Giraldillo at the Biennale
of Seville on her first participation (2002), as well as various prizes, including the Critics' and Audience Awards, after her
performance at the Festival de Jerez, the Andalusian Future Prize and the International Prize “Movimentos” in
Wolzburg (Germany)....
As a soloist, she has also performed in the opera “Carmen” and appeared on stage with international classics
such as Nancy Fabiola Herera, Ismael Jordi, Ainhoa Arteta and Juan Pérez
Floristán, while also performing with flamenco greats such as Miguel Poveda, Antonio
Canales, Eva Yerbabuena, Tomatito, etc....
DAVID LAGOS
CANTAOR
When cantaor David Lagos (Jerez de la Frontera, 1973) won the Lámpara Minera in 2014,
he already had a career spanning more than 20 years behind him. His captivating and rousing voice accompanies
Israel Galván in the most innovative flamenco creations of the last decade. His versatile singing
versatile singing was heard in the Guggenheim Museum (2007) in the Basque language, where he
interpreted songs by Mikel Laboa with the dance of Sol Picó, Israel Galván and the guitar of Alfredo Lagos
among the sculptures of Richard Serra. His lyrics, adaptations and compositions for singing
are in demand by numerous artists, because David is also a creator who is firmly
with a firm step.
Lagos first appeared on stage at the age of ten and his career has
continued to develop ever since. He has worked with the leading artists of today:
Alejandro Granados, Belén Maya, Andrés Marín, Manuela Carrasco and Cristina Hoyos, and his voice
has been heard in the best theatres in the world.
In August 2014, David Lagos won the Lámpara Minera, the coveted award presented by the
Festival del Cante de las Minas de La Unión (Murcia). The organisation described his triumph as
‘magnificent’, as he also won four prizes in the categories of Alegrías, Seguiriyas,
Malagueñas and Cartageneras.
He has three albums on the market, “El espejo en que me miro”, “Mi
retoque al cante jerezano” and “Hodierno”.