“…virtuosic playing characterized by its vividly shaded colors and irresistible exuberance…”
(The New York Times)
“Master of the guitar”
(Plácido Domingo)
Praised as “the soul of the Spanish guitar”, he has become a worldwide sensation known as this generation’s great guitarist. Pablo Sáinz-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 early debut with the New York Philharmonic under the baton of Rafael Frühbeck de Burgos at Lincoln Center, he has played in more than 40 countries and with orchestras such as the Israel Philharmonic, Chicago Symphony, the Los Angeles Philharmonic and the National Orchestra of Spain.
Plácido Domingo hailed him as “the master of the guitar” from the beginning of their multiple collaborations together. They most recently released Volver, a duo album with Sony Classical and their performances have taken place in unique stages around the world such as the Santiago Bernabeu Stadium in Madrid to an audience of over 85,000 people, at the Hollywood Bowl in Los Angeles and on a floating stage on the Amazon River televised internationally for millions.
Pablo’s “virtuosic playing characterized by irresistible exuberance” (The New York Times) make him one of the most acclaimed soloists by prestigious conductors, orchestras, and festivals. His 2019/20 season will include his debut solo recital at the Elbphilharmonie in Hamburg and at the Heidelberg Festival. As a guest artist he has performances with the National Orchestra of Spain with Juanjo Mena, Antwerp Symphony with Elim Chan, NHK Symphony with Robert Spano, Indianapolis Symphony, Tonhalle-Orchester Zurich with Alondra de la Parra, and as an Artist in Residence at the La Jolla Music Society.
Pablo Sáinz-Villegas has appeared on some of the world’s most prominent stages including the Carnegie Hall in New York, the Philharmonie in Berlin, Tchaikovsky Concert Hall in Moscow, the Concertgebouw in Amsterdam, the Musikverein in Vienna and the National Center for the Performing Arts in Beijing. During the 2018/19 season he performed with the Chicago, Utah, Pacific, Fort Worth, Oregon and Vancouver Symphonies, and in outdoor performances at the MISA Festival with the Shanghai Symphony, at the Rheingau Festival and in Zagreb, Croatia celebrating World Music Day. Pablo toured Switzerland with Orquesta Sinfónica de Cadaqués, and Germany with the Amsterdam Sinfonietta. He also made his debut with the Chicago Symphony and was a special guest at the tribute concert for Plácido Domingo at Guadalajara’s stadium in Mexico. As a solo recitalist, he performed for the first time at the Harris Theater in Chicago, at San Francisco Performances and at Boston’s Celebrity Series. He also continued touring with his trio band along with a special presentation at the iconic Blue Note Jazz Club in New York.
Regularly invited to perform at corporate and governmental events, he has played at special events for the Real Madrid Foundation and on several occasions before members of the Spanish Royal Family as well as other heads of state and international leaders such as the Dalai Lama.
As an active recording artist, Billboard Magazine named him “the global ambassador of Spanish guitar” after his solo album, Americano, quickly made its debut to the top 15 on their charts under the Harmonia Mundi label. He also recorded the famed three concerti by Joaquín Rodrigo with the National Orchestra of Spain. As a passionate promoter of the development of new repertoire, he has made numerous world premieres including the first composition for guitar by five-time Academy Award-winner John Williams. Pablo’s next album be released on Sony Classical in 2020.
Pablo Sáinz-Villegas was inspired to take guitar lessons at age six and gave his first public performance at just seven years old. Over the years, he accomplished an impressive collection of over 30 international awards, including the Segovia Award which he won at age 15 and the coveted gold medal at the inaugural Parkening International Guitar Competition.
As a lifelong dreamer, educator and philanthropist, he founded in 2006 the non-profit project The music without borders legacy, with the mission of bringing music to humanize people’s environment and to promote the understanding among different cultures. These values are correspondingly instilled in communities worldwide as part of his Artist-In-Residence collaborations with orchestras and festivals. Through his various initiatives he has shared his music with more than 35,000 children in Spain, Mexico, and United States.
“Music is the language of emotions, a journey to the most intimate part of our sensitivity and an ideal tool to humanize this world. It’s between the notes where I find magic in music and through it I feel fortunate to have the opportunity to inspire.”
– Pablo Sáinz-Villegas
Pablo Sáinz-Villegas is represented in Europe by Tanja Dorn at Dorn Music.
This approved biography is not to be altered or shortened without the management’s permission. Please replace older versions.
August 2019
Website: www.pablosainzvillegas.com
