Instituto Cervantes presents Spanish flamenco guitar concert at CCP

MANILA, Philippines - Enjoy an evening of the purest sounds of the Spanish flamenco guitar as Instituto Cervantes de Manila proudly features renowned Spanish guitarists Dani de Morón and Rafael Rodríguez in concert on Jan. 28, 7:30 p.m., at the Cultural Center of the Philippines (CCP) Little Theater.

As part of the celebration of the 2012 Philippine International Guitar Festival and Competition, this flamenco guitar showcase is a performance of the sound that’s clearly evocative of Southern Spain.   

The Spanish duo, one of the leading musicians in this year’s guitar festival, will feature some of their finest works through a selection of their personal compositions.

No stranger to classical guitar fans around the world, Dani de Morón is one of the up-and-coming flamenco guitarists in Spain today. He grew up in Moron de la frontera, a Spanish town in Seville province known for its rich Andalucian and Flamenco culture.  As a flamenco soloist and composer, Dani began his concert career when he was very young.

 He continued to advance his solo career, winning the Hospitalet Calasparra award in Murcia and the Federation of Flamenco Clubs (Federación de Peñas Flamencas) in Seville. He was also the finalist in the Las Minas de la Unión contest and the Biennial of Flamenco in 2002.

In his varied performances, the acclaimed Spanish flamenco guitarist introduced a combined technique of playing flamenco —from the traditional Spanish styles to his personal improvised pieces. 

Rafael Rodríguez

Rodríguez, on the other hand, began playing the guitar at age 13 learning with Andrés Vázquez, a master from Seville that belongs to the school of Niño Ricardo. Since then his training and learning has been entirely autodidactic.

As a professional guitar player he has collaborated with renowned artists like Milagros Mengibar, Alejandro Granados, Belén Maya, and Angeles Gabaldon. He has also accompanied artists like Concha Vargas, Sordera de Jerez, Gaspar de Utrera, Pepa de Benito, Pepa de Utrera, and others whom he has been around with major theaters and flamenco festivals in the world.

Considered as one of the most experienced and versatile guitarists of the flamenco scene, Rodriguez was recognized in 2008 as the best guitar player in the XV Biennial of Flamenco of Sevilla and continues to earn raves from critics and fans alike.

This flamenco guitar concert is organized by Instituto Cervantes de Manila in collaboration with the Spanish Embassy in the Philippines, The Guitar Friends, CCP, Spanish Agency International Cooperation for Development (AECID), and the Ministry of Culture of Spain.

Entrance to this concert is free on a first-come-first-served basis. For information, call The Guitar Friends at 0927-3447712 or visit www.philippineguitarfestival.com.