ALI ARANGO (CUBA)
Ali Arango is one of the most outstanding guitarists of his generation. With a virtuosity at the service of musicality and a balanced mix of subtlety and expressive force, he has conquered all kinds of audiences and juries. Graduated from the Amadeo Roldán Conservatory (Havana, Cuba) in 2001. At the same time, he was a student of Maestros Antonio Alberto Rodríguez and Joaquín Clerch. He has received occasional classes from Leo Brouwer as well as having participated in different projects with the Maestro. He has won 20 awards in international classical guitar competitions, among which the following stand out: First Prize in the XXXII Andrés Segovia International Classical Guitar Competition (La Herradura, Spain) First Prize, Alhambra Prize for new Spanish creation and Public Prize in the XII Alhambra International Guitar Competition (Valencia, Spain) First Prize in the XIV Havana International Competition. (Cuba) First Prize at the 6th International Guitar Meeting "Norba Caesarina" (Cáceres, Spain) First Prize at the Palau de La Música de Barcelona Competition "El Primer Palau" (All Instruments and Formats) (Barcelona, Spain) First Prize at the "Düsseldorfer Gitarfestival" (Germany) First Prize at the 12th International Guitar Competition of Barcelona "Miguel Llobet" (Spain) First Prize at the 22nd International Classical Guitar Meeting "Andrés Segovia" (Linares, Spain) As a composer, his catalogue includes works for solo guitar, duets for guitar and other instruments, chamber formats and music for video art and documentaries. He has recorded his CD "Guitar Recital" for NAXOS, produced by Norbert Kraft, which includes four of his own works, the premiere recording of Ritual and Festive Dances by Leo Brouwer and Study No. 4 for the Anular by Joaquín Clerch, dedicated to Ali Arango. He has toured Catalonia as a soloist, Cuba with the National Symphony Orchestra, invited by Leo Brouwer, and China. He has performed the world premiere of three of Brouwer's works: "Cuban Landscape with Sadness" (solo guitar), "Gismontiana" (for four guitars and string orchestra), and Series No. 1 of "Ritual and Festive Dances" (for solo guitar). He usually performs in important venues such as the Palau de la Música Catalana, the Palau de la Música in Valencia, the Manuel de Falla Auditorium, and the National Theatre of Cuba, among others. Currently a member of PYROPHORUS GUITAR DUO and TRAZA QUARTET, Arango explores the fusion of Cuban music, jazz and contemporary music with original music written for these two formats. Ali Arango plays on a José María Vilaplana NT Series model. For more information: http://aliarango.com
