Teachers
José María Ortí Soriano
Born in Torrent (Valencia), José María Ortí Soriano began his musical studies at the age of 8. He entered the Valencia Higher Conservatory of Music to begin studying the trumpet. Later, he moved to Madrid to pursue advanced studies at the Royal Conservatory of Music, where he achieved an outstanding academic record, graduating with the highest marks and awarded the Extraordinary Final Prize of Honour through competitive examination. At the same time, he took private lessons with Vicente Lillo, who showed a special interest in his development.
He then travelled to Paris to further his training with Maurice André and Pierre Thibaud, performing as a soloist in the Organ Hall of the Conservatoire National Supérieur de Musique. Following this, he attended numerous international trumpet courses, including with the American trumpeter James Stamp.
He served as Principal Trumpet of the National Orchestra of Spain for more than forty years and held the post of Professor at the Royal Conservatory of Music in Madrid, and later at the “Joaquín Rodrigo” Higher Conservatory of Music in Valencia.
He has been awarded the Gold Medal of Fine Arts and the Knight’s Cross of the Order of Civil Merit, granted by H.M. King Juan Carlos I. He was named “Illustrious Figure of Valencian Music” by the Valencian Music Academy and declared Favourite Son of the city of Torrent, where a street has been named in his honour and where he was also awarded the Gold Medal. At the request of the City Council, he composed the Hymn of Torrent.
Manuel Blanco Gómez Limón
Born in 1985 in Daimiel (Ciudad Real), Manuel Blanco began studying the trumpet at an early age with Martín Baeza-Rubio and José María Ortí Soriano. He is currently also mentored by international soloist Reinhold Friedrich, with all three masters having shown a special interest in both his artistic and personal development.
He has won several competitions, including Ciudad de Xàtiva, Calvià, Mogente, and Jeju (South Korea). However, his major international breakthrough came in 2011 when he won First Prize at the prestigious ARD Music Competition in Munich, achieving the highest score in the history of the event. This prize had only been awarded to two other trumpet players in the previous 62 editions, the first being Maurice André in 1963 — with many now considering Blanco to be his rightful heir.
Since 2006, he has held the position of Principal Trumpet of the National Orchestra of Spain.
As a soloist, he has performed with world-class orchestras such as the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra (Amsterdam), Gewandhaus Orchestra (Leipzig), Radio France Philharmonic, Gustav Mahler Jugend Orchester, European Union Youth Orchestra, Berlin Staatsoper, Filarmonica Arturo Toscanini, Orchestra Mozart Bologna, La Scala Theatre Orchestra (Milan), and Santa Cecilia Orchestra (Rome), among others. He has worked under the baton of distinguished conductors such as Claudio Abbado, Mariss Jansons, Rafael Frühbeck de Burgos, Lorin Maazel, Christoph Eschenbach, Zubin Mehta, Daniel Barenboim, Yuri Temirkanov, Semyon Bychkov, Riccardo Chailly, Gustavo Dudamel, Andris Nelsons, Josep Pons, Juanjo Mena, David Afkham, Pablo Heras-Casado, George Pehlivanian, Markus Bosch, Antonio Méndez, Andrés Salado, Martín Baeza-Rubio, Charles Olivieri-Munroe, and many others.
As a soloist, he has performed with the Bavarian Radio Orchestra, Munich Radio Orchestra, Munich Chamber Orchestra, Budapest Chamber Orchestra, Jeju Philharmonic Orchestra, Camerata XXI, Philharmonic Orchestra of Würzburg (Mozartfest), Capella Symphony Orchestra (St. Petersburg), Hofer Symphoniker, Niederrheinische Sinfoniker, Norddeutsche Philharmonie Rostock, Orquesta Sinfónica de Minería, Spanish National Orchestra, Navarra Symphony Orchestra, RTVE Symphony Orchestra, Bilbao Symphony Orchestra, and Valencia Municipal Orchestra, among others.
José Antonio García Sevilla
He has been a member of the Spanish National Youth Orchestra (JONDE) and the Gustav Mahler Jugend Orchester (GMJO), whose artistic director was Claudio Abbado. With these ensembles, he toured extensively across Europe under the baton of prestigious conductors such as Pierre Boulez, Seiji Ozawa, and Carlo Maria Giulini.
His most recent collaborations include performances with the Spanish National Orchestra, City of Granada Orchestra, City of Palma Orchestra, Berlin State Opera (conducted by Daniel Barenboim), Madrid Municipal Band, Albacete Municipal Band, Symphony Orchestra of Vallès, Bilbao Symphony Orchestra, Cadaqués Orchestra, and the Valencian Community Orchestra, under the direction of Lorin Maazel.
He is currently Professor at the Royal Conservatory of Music in Madrid and Director of the Faculty of Music and Performing Arts at Alfonso X el Sabio University.
José Manuel Escobar Belmonte
He completed his studies at the “Joaquín Rodrigo” Higher Conservatory of Music in Valencia under the guidance of Maestro José María Ortí, graduating with honours. He furthered his training at the Brass Academy Alicante with Maestro Rudi Korp.
He has collaborated on numerous occasions with ensembles such as the Symphony Orchestra of Vallès, Murcia Symphony Orchestra, Philharmonia Orchestra of Madrid, Mariinsky Theatre Orchestra of Moscow, Bilbao Symphony Orchestra, Spanish National Orchestra, Freixenet Orchestra of the Reina Sofía School of Music, and the Palau de les Arts Orchestra, among others.
He has been a member of the Youth Orchestra of the Region of Murcia, the Youth Orchestra of the Valencian Government, the Spanish National Youth Orchestra (JONDE), and the Gustav Mahler Jugendorchester.
He is currently a professor at the Castilla-La Mancha Higher Conservatory of Music, assistant professor at the Brass Academy Alicante, and teaches at Alfonso X el Sabio University. He is also a member of the ADDA Symphony Orchestra.
Jesús Sánchez Martínez
He studied with María Suárez Bricio and Mª Teresa Untoria, earning qualifications as a Senior Piano Teacher and Music Theory Teacher. He furthered his training with renowned professors such as Ferenc Rados, Almudena Cano, and Gonzalo Trevijano, among others.
He has performed both as a soloist and in chamber ensembles in various concert halls across Spain. He has also worked as a répétiteur in operas such as Don Pasquale and Dido and Aeneas.
With extensive experience as a dance accompanist and repetiteur, he has collaborated with several conservatories throughout the Madrid and Castilla-La Mancha regions. He is currently a professor at the Castilla-La Mancha Higher Conservatory of Music and teaches at the Faculty of Music of Alfonso X el Sabio University.
Cuenta con una dilatada trayectoria como pianista acompañando de danza, así como de repertorista en varios conservatorios de la Comunidad de Madrid y Castilla-La Mancha. Actualmente es profesor en el Conservatorio Superior de Música de Castilla-La Mancha y de la Facultad de Música de la Universidad Alfonso X Lo Sabio.
Raúl Junquera
Raúl Junquera began his musical studies at the L’Artesana Musical Society of Catarroja, later completing his trumpet degree at the “Joaquín Rodrigo” Higher Conservatory of Music in Valencia under the tutelage of Professor Leopoldo Vidal Estrems. During his studies, Raúl was awarded an Honourable Mention in intermediate level and the Prize of Honour at advanced level by unanimous decision.
He continued his training with Pierre Thibaud, Professor at the Paris Conservatoire.
He has participated in advanced training courses with renowned teachers such as John Wilbraham, Bo Nilsson, Claude Vasse, Håkan Hardenberger, Max Sommerhalder, Andrea Lucchi, Gábor Tarkövi, and Thomas Stevens, among others.
He has served as principal trumpet of the Valencia Conservatory Orchestra, and has collaborated with the Orchestra of the Accademia Nazionale di Santa Cecilia (Rome), the Valencia Orchestra, Madrid Symphony Orchestra, Córdoba Orchestra, City of Granada Orchestra, Asturias Symphony Orchestra, University of Valencia Orchestra, Torrent Orchestra, and the Balearic Islands Symphony Orchestra. From 1994 to 1996, he was principal trumpet of the Bilbao Symphony Orchestra, and later became principal trumpet of the Valencia Municipal Band.
He was awarded First Prize in Chamber Music at the Young Performers Competition of Spain, and was a finalist at the Passau International Brass Ensemble Competition (Germany). As a soloist, he reached the semifinals in the Toulon International Competition (France) and the Geneva International Music Competition (Switzerland).
He is currently principal trumpet of the Valencia Orchestra and a Schagerl Artist. He is also the founder of the brass quintet Art of Brass Valencia and the baroque ensemble Trio Cabanilles.
GUEST TEACHERS
Luis Arias Fernández
Born in Madrid, he began his musical studies at the age of six at the CEDAM Academy, later continuing at the Professional Conservatory of Music in Ferraz with R. Pareja and J. Rovira. He completed his training at the Royal Conservatory of Music in Madrid with Ana Guijarro, and spent four years at the Reina Sofía School of Music studying under Galina Eguiazarova, Marta Gulyas, and Luis Fernando Pérez, with the support of various institutions such as Ibercaja, Fundación Albéniz, AIE, Juventudes Musicales de Madrid, and the Madrid Regional Government.
Throughout these years, he has received guidance from renowned musicians including Ferenc Rados, Joaquín Soriano, Mikhail Voskresensky, Claudio Martínez-Mehner, Peter Donohoe, Radovan Vlatković, and Jacques Zoon, among others.
He is frequently invited to collaborate with a wide variety of musicians and ensembles, having performed in some of Spain’s most important concert venues such as the National Auditorium of Music, Teatro Real, Teatros del Canal, Palau de la Música in Barcelona, and Auditorio Edgar Neville, as well as internationally in countries including Mexico, France, Israel, Germany, Sweden, and Serbia.
For several years, he has combined an intense teaching activity with performance. He has taught at the Pablo Sarasate Conservatory in Pamplona and the Castile and León Higher Conservatory of Music. He currently balances his performing career with teaching positions at the Aragón Higher Conservatory of Music and the Reina Sofía School of Music.
Jonathan Müller
Jonathan Müller completed his higher music studies at the University of Music Karlsruhe, under the guidance of Professor Reinhold Friedrich. In parallel, he broadened his training by attending numerous masterclasses led by renowned trumpet players such as Håkan Hardenberger (Malmö), Kristian Steenstrup (Aarhus), Klaus Schuhwerk (Basel), Jouko Harjanne (Helsinki), Hannes Läubin (Munich), Luis González (Barcelona), and Uwe Köller (Graz).
Jonathan has been awarded several times in the “Jugend musiziert” competition. In 2006, he won First Prize and a Special Prize at the “Carl-Schröder” Competition in Sondershausen (Thuringia). In 2010, he was the only trumpet player to reach the third round of the German National Music Competition (Deutscher Musikwettbewerb), and as a result, received a scholarship from the organisation and made several recordings. Likewise, in 2011, he was the only German trumpet player to reach the third round of the prestigious ARD International Music Competition. He has also been awarded scholarships by institutions such as the Studienstiftung des deutschen Volkes and the Deutsche Stiftung Musikleben.
In terms of orchestral experience, Jonathan trained in various youth orchestras, including the Youth Orchestra of Baden-Württemberg, the German National Youth Orchestra, and the Gustav Mahler Jugendorchester. This led him to become a member of the Orchestra Mozart, under the direction of Claudio Abbado. He has also collaborated with major orchestras such as the hr-Sinfonieorchester, NDR-Sinfonieorchester, BR-Sinfonieorchester, and the Spanish National Orchestra, among others.
Since 2013, he has held the position of Principal Trumpet with the prestigious Gewandhaus Orchestra of Leipzig.
As a soloist, he has performed with orchestras including the Nürnberger Symphoniker, Staatskapelle Halle, Thüringer Symphoniker, Vogtland Philharmonie Greiz/Reichenbach, Südwestdeutsches Kammerorchester Pforzheim, Münchner Kammerorchester, and the Stuttgarter Kammerorchester.
Óscar Fernando Trujillo Gómez
Trumpet professor at the University of Caldas, director of the Redentorista Conservatory, and holder of a Bachelor’s degree in Music from the University of Caldas and a Master’s degree in Music with a focus on trumpet from EAFIT. He is a trumpet player, composer, and conductor.
He began his musical training through the Caldas Departmental Band Programme and has received further instruction in Venezuela, Mexico, Puerto Rico, and Brazil. He was awarded a scholarship by the Mazda Foundation for Art and Science.
His compositions have won multiple national awards, including the National Band Contest of Paipa (2010, 2011, 2013, 2016, 2019, 2020, 2021), the Pedro Ignacio Perilla National Band Competition (Anapoima, 2014), the Ramón Jaramillo Jurado National Band Contest (Rionegro, 2015), the National Competition for Original Band Music (San Pedro, 2017), and the Mono Núñez Festival of Colombian Andean Music (2018). His arrangements and compositions have been performed by a wide range of prestigious ensembles, such as the National Symphony Orchestra of Cuba, Zaragoza Wind Ensemble, Dominican Philharmonic Orchestra, Youth Symphony Orchestra of El Salvador, Orléans Symphony Orchestra, University of Wisconsin Wind Symphony, Gilberto Santa Rosa, Totó la Momposina, Bogotá Philharmonic Orchestra, Colombian National Symphony Orchestra, and the Caldas Symphony Orchestra, among others.
He was a member of the Kanna Jazz Brass Ensemble, with which he recorded two albums and won the National Pasillo Festival. He was a semi-finalist in the 2nd Latin American Eric Aubier Trumpet Competition. He has also served as trumpet professor at the Technological University of Pereira and was principal trumpet of the Caldas Symphony Orchestra for 15 years.
In 2019, he toured Europe with his ensemble 5 pa’l mundo, including a recital at the Liceu Conservatory in Barcelona, performing a programme consisting entirely of his own compositions.
As a conductor, he has led the Caldas Symphony Orchestra, the Municipal Band of Manizales, the University of Caldas Symphonic Band, the University of Caldas Brass Ensemble (which he founded), and currently conducts the Redentorista Conservatory Wind Band.
He has performed as a soloist with the Caldas Symphony Orchestra, CIMA International Music Festival, Municipal Band of Manizales, Puerto Rico Conservatory of Music, Caldas Chamber Orchestra, Valle Departmental Band, University of Caldas Symphonic Band, Manizales International Music Festival, among others.
He is currently trumpet professor at the University of Caldas, founder and director of the Redentorista Conservatory, and director of the ensemble 5 pa’l mundo, with which he has released two albums featuring his own compositions. He also actively collaborates in various music education initiatives throughout Colombia and Latin America.
Reinhold Friefrich
Since winning Second Prize at the ARD Competition in Munich in 1986, Reinhold Friedrich has performed on some of the world’s most prestigious stages. His repertoire ranges from the most contemporary works for solo trumpet to the earliest compositions for the instrument, including the baroque trumpet and the keyed trumpet. He made his debut at the Berliner Festwochen performing Sequenza X by Luciano Berio, and in 1994 he appeared at the Musikverein in Vienna, playing the Haydn Keyed Trumpet Concerto.
He has been principal trumpet of the Lucerne Festival Orchestra since its founding, and serves as artistic director of its Brass Ensemble.
He has performed with Capriccio Basel, the Orchestre des Champs-Élysées, and the Vienna Academy Orchestra, specialising in period instruments. He has premiered works by composers such as Wolfgang Rihm, Sir Peter Maxwell Davies, Rebecca Saunders, Hans Werner Henze, Nicolaus A. Huber, and Adriana Hölszky. His wide-ranging repertoire includes works such as Eirene by Herbert Willi and Nobody Knows de Trouble I See by Bernd Alois Zimmermann, the latter earning an ECHO Klassik award.
As a soloist, he has performed with ensembles such as the Berliner Barock Solisten, La Stagione Frankfurt, the Vienna and Basel Chamber Orchestras, the Bamberg and Vienna Symphony Orchestras, the Radio France Philharmonic, the Deutsches Symphonie-Orchester Berlin, the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra, the BBC Symphony Orchestra, and all the ARD orchestras. He has worked under esteemed conductors such as Claudio Abbado, Semyon Bychkov, Dennis Russell Davies, Peter Eötvös, Reinhard Goebel, Martin Haselböck, Philippe Herreweghe, Christopher Hogwood, Eliahu Inbal, Krystjan and Neeme Järvi, Dmitri Kitayenko, Sir Neville Marriner, Ingo Metzmacher, Jonathan Nott, Kazushi Ono, and Hans Zender, among others.
His recent chamber music collaborations include performances with Eriko Takezawa (piano), Robyn Schulkowsky (percussion), Martin Lücker and Sebastian Küchler-Blessing (organ). Since 2013, he has performed with the ensemble L’éventail de Jeanne, alongside Claudio Bohórquez (cello), Sascha Armbruster (saxophone), and Eriko Takezawa (piano).
He has performed in Japan, Mexico, Israel, Norway, Sweden, Finland, Spain, Portugal, Italy, Poland, and Switzerland with groups such as the Lucerne Festival String Ensemble, Berliner Barock Solisten, Jenaer Philharmonie, and the Neue Philharmonie Westfalen.
His recent engagements include Brandenburg Concerto No. 2 with the Philharmonie Baden-Baden (where he was artist-in-residence) conducted by Sir András Schiff. In May 2017, he premiered a new trumpet concerto written for him by Benjamin Yusupov. He has also served as an artistic advisor to the Royal Academy of Music in London and the Juilliard School in New York, guiding the production of a recording and a concert series focused on the music of Giovanni Gabrieli.
He will also perform alongside Dorothee Mields with the Mendelssohn Chamber Orchestra of Leipzig, as well as with the Erfurt Philharmonic Orchestra, Orquestra Simfònica del Vallès, Camerata of Israel, and the Taiwan Symphony Orchestra. With the Stavanger Symphony Orchestra, he will premiere the trumpet concerto Aerial by HK Gruber.
His extensive discography reflects the breadth of his work, including award-winning recordings such as Russian Trumpet Concertos (ECHO Klassik) with the Göttingen Symphony Orchestra conducted by Christoph Mathias Mueller, a recording with the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra conducted by George Benjamin, and the world premiere of Pietà, a trumpet concerto by Christian Jost (Coviello Classics). He also recorded Brandenburg Concerto No. 2 with the Berliner Barock Solisten, conducted by Reinhard Goebel (Sony).
Reinhold Friedrich is a professor in Karlsruhe and Hiroshima (Japan), and an honorary professor at the Royal Academy of Music in London. He gives masterclasses worldwide, and many of his former students hold teaching posts at institutions such as the universities of Hanover, Paris, Essen, Detmold, and Budapest, or perform with leading orchestras in Berlin, Munich, Paris, Madrid, Brussels, Leipzig, Hamburg, Stuttgart, Moscow, Tokyo, and Rio de Janeiro.
He currently holds the IF International Foundation Trumpet Chair at the Reina Sofía School of Music.
Margarita Kozlovska
Margarita Kozlovska is a Ukrainian pianist based in Spain, who combines a prolific concert career with teaching roles at some of the country’s most prestigious music academies.
She achieved early success, winning several regional and national competitions in her native Ukraine. Over the course of her career, she has received awards at international piano and chamber music competitions in cities such as Rome, Budapest, Białystok, and Ischia, and has performed as a soloist with orchestras such as the Filharmonia Podlaska, Filharmonia Podkarpacka, and the Málaga Philharmonic Orchestra.
Alongside her solo work, she maintains an intense concert schedule, appearing in international concert series and festivals such as Poznań Poetów Festival (Poland), Chopin w barwach jesieni (Antonin, Poland), Fortepianowe Mozaiki (Łódź, Poland), AETYB Congress 2022 (Málaga, Spain), CREA Competition 2022 (Estepona, Spain), and the New Voices Competition (Seville, Spain). She has also performed at venues such as the Teatro de la Maestranza (Seville), Espacio Turina (Granada), and the Teatro Auditorio Felipe VI (Estepona).
She currently works as a Piano Accompanist Professor at both the Double Bass Chair (Unidad Editorial) and the Trumpet Chair of the Reina Sofía School of Music, while also serving as Piano Accompanist at Musical Arts Madrid and the Galamian International Academy in Málaga.
Her collaborations also include work with the Orchestra of Antonio Banderas’ Teatro del Soho and the Opera Choir of Málaga.
Eriko Takezawa
Eriko Takezawa was born in Hiroshima (Japan) and studied in Germany with Naoyuki Taneda and Wolfgang Manz. She graduated with distinction in 1995 and continued her education through masterclasses with J. Uhde, E. Picht-Axenfeld, D. Kraus, and S. Dorenski.
She went on to win several international competitions, including First Prize at the International Piano Competition in Ostuni (Italy) in 1994. This success led to a busy concert schedule, with performances at prestigious festivals and venues across Europe and Asia, including the Schwetzingen Festival, the Schleswig-Holstein Music Festival, and the Lucerne Festival.
Eriko Takezawa is a sought-after chamber music partner for renowned wind soloists such as Reinhold Friedrich, Sergio Azzolini, Ingo Goritzki, Renate Greiss-Armin, and Thomas Indermühle, and is a permanent member of the Mahler Chamber Orchestra. For many years, she has also been one of the most in-demand accompanists for international competitions and concert projects.
She has achieved remarkable success worldwide as a soloist, particularly with Shostakovich’s Piano Concerto No. 1.
In 2014, she received critical acclaim for her performances of Gershwin’s Rhapsody in Blue and Benjamin Yusupov’s Listen to Our Cry, in their premieres in Israel and Germany.
Eriko Takezawa has worked as a répétiteur at the Musikakademie Basel and taught at the Royal Academy of Music in Aarhus (Denmark). She has also given classes at MUSIKENE in San Sebastián and at the Hochschule für Darstellende Künste in Frankfurt.
She currently works as a repetiteur at the Hochschule für Musik Karlsruhe, where her coaching workshops are in high demand.
She is praised by the media for her lightness of touch, technical brilliance, and captivating musicality, which consistently enchant audiences.
Her numerous acclaimed recordings — including the award-winning CD Mysteries, a collaboration with Simon Höfele (winner of the Deutscher Schallplattenkritikpreis 2018) — are further testament to her outstanding musical career.
Guest Collaborating Musicians
Adda Simfònica
The Symphony Orchestra of the Valencian Community Foundation – ADDA is the resident orchestra at the Auditorium of the Provincial Council of Alicante. Its remarkable journey under the leadership of Principal Conductor Josep Vicent has earned significant national and international acclaim for the quality and energy of its distinctive sound.
ADDA·SIMFÒNICA collaborates regularly with distinguished guest conductors such as Valery Gergiev, Christian Lindberg, Anu Tali, Jurjen Hempel, Yaron Traub, Carles Magraner, and Juan Carlos Lomónaco, among others. The orchestra also performs with renowned soloists including Javier Perianes, Ramón Vargas, the Labèque Sisters, Pablo Sáinz-Villegas, Maria João Pires, Pacho Flores, Ángeles Blancas, Denis Kozhukhin, Stefanie Iranyi, José Antonio López, Juan Floristán, Damián Martínez, Joan Enric Lluna, Ginesa Ortega, Marina Heredia, Joaquín Achúcarro, and Adolfo Gutiérrez, to name just a few.
Composers such as Michael Nyman, David Mora, Per Egland, Jesús Mula, Ximo Cano, J. Vicent Egea, and Nicola Campogrande have written works specifically for the orchestra.
Its recording project has been praised by specialised critics, with its album Music for Emotions earning the prestigious Melómano de Oro award.
ADDA·SIMFÒNICA maintains an extensive audiovisual production activity, and its discography is available on Warner Classics, Aria Classics, Discmedi, and IMM Klassik, among others.
Most recently, the orchestra made its German debut with Josep Vicent at the magnificent Funkhaus Berlin, the largest and most advanced recording studio in the world.
Josep Vicent
A Spanish musician with a unique and thrilling career, Josep Vicent has conducted some of the most prestigious symphonic ensembles in Spain and around the world, including the London Symphony Orchestra, St. Petersburg Philharmonic, Rotterdam Philharmonic, Paris Chamber Orchestra, Royal Philharmonic, Dutch Radio Orchestra, Royal Liverpool Philharmonic, Kiev Orchestra, Gewandhaus Orchestra in Leipzig, Teatro Real Orchestra, New World Symphony (Miami), as well as the National Symphony Orchestras of Belgium, Chile, Uruguay, and Brazil, among many others.
He is a regular guest conductor with nearly all major Spanish symphony orchestras, including the Barcelona Symphony and Catalonia National Orchestra, the Valencia Orchestra, and the Spanish National Orchestra.
Since the 2015/16 season, Josep Vicent has been the Artistic and Music Director of ADDA (Auditorio de la Diputación de Alicante) and Principal Conductor of ADDA Simfònica. He previously served as Principal Conductor of the Balearic Islands Symphony Orchestra and led the Jeunesses Musicales World Orchestra (The World Orchestra) from 2005 to 2015, conducting fifteen tours across four continents.
Since 2014, he has also been Music Director for the renowned theatrical and operatic company “La Fura dels Baus”. Additionally, he has served as Artistic Director of the Xenakis Festival, the Nits de la Mediterrània Festival, and the internationally acclaimed Amsterdam Percussion Group.
He was assistant to Maestro Alberto Zedda and has received numerous accolades, including the International Performance Award from Juventudes Musicales, the “Ciudad de Valencia” Arts Prize (2013), and the “Oscar Esplá” Prize from the City of Alicante. He has also been named International Ambassador for the Fundación Cultura de Paz, appointed by Federico Mayor Zaragoza.
Laura Daganzo
Laura Daganzo Morales completed her full professional training in Spanish Dance under the guidance of Mariló Uguet. She was a member of the Spanish National Ballet and has collaborated with numerous internationally renowned Spanish dance and flamenco companies, touring the world as a soloist dancer.
She later chose to explore new paths within the world of dance and dedicate part of her career to teaching. This led her to continue her pedagogical training, ultimately earning a degree in Dance Pedagogy. She has always felt a strong sense of responsibility to pass on to future generations the knowledge and experiences she was fortunate to receive from her own great teachers.
Pursuing another of her dreams, she founded the “Yo, Bailo” Academy, a pedagogical project aimed at bringing dance closer to anyone who wishes to enjoy this wonderful art form. The academy now has three locations in Madrid, all under her direction.
Rubén Freire Bermúdez
He was born in Vilalba in 1980. He began his musical studies of music theory and trumpet at the age of 8 with Pepe Guntín Mate in the Vilalba Music Band and later in the Conservatory with José Rodríguez Ramos, trumpet soloist of the Municipal Band of Coruña. At the age of 18, he moved to the CMUS of Coruña where he obtained the title of Professor with Andrés Vales and later he entered the CSM of Valencia and obtained the title of Superior Professor with the highest qualifications from the hand of José María Ortí Soriano.
Since 1997 he has been invited to participate with orchestras such as the Youth Orchestra of the Symphony Orchestra of Galicia, the JONDE, the EUYO, the Symphony Orchestra of Galicia, and the National Orchestra of Spain. He has participated in courses with professors such as Juan Carlos Alandete, Vicente Martínez of the ONE, Phil Smith of the New York Philharmonic, Fred Mills (Canadian Brass), or Tamas Valency of the Berliner Philharmoniker.
In 2003 he passed a competitive examination for a position in the Music and Performing Arts Teachers’ Association and, since then, he has worked in the Music Conservatories of Puertollano (Ciudad Real) and Orense.
Joan Castelló
He completed his musical studies at the Jesús Guridi Higher Conservatory of Music in Vitoria, where he was awarded the End of Degree Prize. In parallel, he pursued postgraduate studies at Neopercusión, a Madrid-based centre specialised in percussion.
He has participated in advanced training courses and masterclasses with internationally renowned teachers such as L. H. Stevens, E. Sejournee, T. Adams, D. Samuels, and C. Lamb, as well as completing a Contemporary Music Performance Course with Juanjo Guillem and a Jazz and Orff-Schulwerk Course with Doug Goodkin at the University of Alcalá.
In 2002, he won the Yamaha Music Foundation of Europe (YMFE) International Competition in the marimba category.
As an orchestral musician, he has collaborated with major ensembles such as the Tenerife Symphony Orchestra, Gran Canaria Philharmonic, Madrid Symphony Orchestra, Community of Madrid Symphony Orchestra, Spanish Radio and Television Symphony Orchestra, Asturias Symphony Orchestra, and the Spanish National Orchestra. His international tours have taken him to Spain, Germany, Vienna, Prague, England, Mexico, Finland, Slovenia, France, China, the United Arab Emirates, and the United States.
As a soloist, he has performed at some of Spain’s most important festivals, including Escena Contemporánea, Quincena Musical, Alicante Festival, Otoño Soriano, and the International Percussion Days in Paris.
He is currently a member of the ensemble Neopercusión, a professor at the Katarina Gurska Higher Centre of Music, and Professor with the Spanish National Orchestra and Choir (OCNE).
Pablo Martín Caminero
Born in Vitoria-Gasteiz in 1974, Pablo Martín Caminero completed his classical double bass studies at the University of Music and Performing Arts Vienna in 1999. Following his academic training, he moved to Madrid, where he began his professional career as a performer, composer, and producer.
His versatility across musical styles has led him to collaborate with a wide range of artists and projects in genres such as flamenco, jazz, classical, and baroque. These include Ultras High Flamenco, Abe Rábade Trío, Jorge Pardo, Gerardo Núñez, bandArt, Hippocampus, Chano Domínguez, Niño Josele, Rocío Molina, Enrike Solinís, and Rosario La Tremendita, among many others.
His eclecticism has also driven him to compose film scores and music for advertising since 2006.
He has released four solo albums to date: Doméstica (BOST, 2005), El Caminero (BOST, 2011), O.F.N.I. (BOST, 2014), and Salt al vacío (BOST, 2016).
In a quintet format, occasionally adapted to quartet or trio, Caminero performs his own compositions, expressing a musical vision rooted in two intimately connected traditions: jazz and flamenco.
He co-created the performance “Double Bach” with choreographer Antonio Ruz, in which he interprets two J.S. Bach suites on pizzicato double bass, accompanied by contemporary dancer Melania Olcina. Double Bach premiered at the Festival de Teatro Clásico de Almagro in 2016. Caminero also collaborated with Antonio Ruz as composer for the Spanish National Ballet’s production of Electra.
In 2018, he launched the project “Flamenco Standards”, releasing Volume 1, with further volumes planned. Performed in quartet formation alongside Rycardo Moreno (guitar), Enrique Rodríguez “Enriquito” (trumpet), and Marc Miralta (drums), the group presents works by flamenco composers reimagined as standards, serving as a base for jazz-style improvisation.
He continues to maintain an intense musical career, performing with his own ensemble and participating in projects such as Flamenco Standards, Delirium Tremens with Rosario La Tremendita, Enrike Solinís & Euskal Barrokensemble, Abe Rábade Trío, and is currently preparing the composition of his fifth solo album.
Enriquito Rodíguez Quartet
Enriquito, a trumpet player with a flamenco soul, has become one of the leading figures of the new flamenco scene in Spain.
Flamenco and jazz have, over recent decades, merged into a unique genre shaped by the curiosity and creativity of pioneers such as Pedro Iturralde, Paco de Lucía, and even Miles Davis, who helped give form to this revolutionary fusion.
Since then, many artists have embraced this hybrid style, helping to solidify its place in the music world — artists such as Jorge Pardo, who has been a key influence in the development of flamenco jazz.
Yet few trumpet players have ventured into this particular musical blend. Among the notable exceptions is Miles Davis himself, whose legendary Saeta was, according to the late Enrique Morente, on par with those of flamenco greats like Caracol, Vallejo, or La Niña de los Peines:
“Davis’s saeta is on the same level as those by Caracol, Vallejo or La Niña de los Peines” — E. Morente
A Very Flamenco Trumpet
Enrique Rodríguez “Enriquito” is a trumpeter, composer, and musician who, in a remarkably short time, has become an undisputed figure in the new generation of flamenco-jazz artists. At just 18 years old, he was already collaborating on several recording projects with flautist Jorge Pardo, who became his main mentor and inspiration on this path of musical experimentation.
Thanks to his natural talent and the spectacular evolution of his sound, Enriquito has carved out a place among the top jazz musicians, constantly pursuing a distinctive and deeply personal sonic universe.
The Evolution of His Sound
His career has been filled with notable achievements, working with celebrated artists and gracing stages with a sound that blends flamenco’s passion with his trademark jazzy phrasing.
In 2005, after performing with Jorge Pardo at various concerts, Enriquito was recognised as an international reference in jazz, flamenco, and traditional and improvised music. That same year, he was awarded the Best European Musician Prize by the French Jazz Academy.
He has been a member of popular bands such as Canteca de Macao, Chambao, Juanito Makandé, and C. Tangana.
His discography includes four albums:
Me quito el sombrero (2011)
Alcudia (2014)
Contrarreloj (2017)
Fuentes y manantiales (2020),
in which he surrounds himself with a strong ensemble of trusted instrumentalists.
Giralda Brass
Giralda Brass is a chamber ensemble with over six years of experience, dedicated to promoting chamber music and showcasing its value through every performance. The group has performed extensively across Andalusia and in other parts of Spain, including appearances at the SBALZ Festival organised by Spanish Brass in Valencia, the inauguration of the Cartuja Center Theatre (Seville), and several editions of the City of Seville concert series. They have also collaborated with international trumpet soloist Adam Rapa in one of their concerts in Seville, among other engagements.
In recent years, the group has received several awards, including 3rd Prize at the National Valeriano Machí Esparza Brass Quintet Competition (Valencia) and 1st Prize at the International Brass Quintet Competition “Burke & Bagley” held in Seattle, Washington. They were also finalists at the Abate Marchena National Chamber Music Competition in Seville.
Giralda Brass has received continuous guidance from leading professionals such as Spanish Brass, German Brass, Belgian Brass, Benjamin Moreno, Fabio Brum, Jorge Javier Giner, Vicente López, and Manuel Busto.
Since October 2020, Giralda Brass has been part of the Candlelight Concert Series in Seville, and since July 2020, they have also been included in the concert programme organised by the Málaga Philharmonic Orchestra.
Manuel Machado
Manuel Machado is a Cuban trumpet player based in Spain since 1992. His early years as a professional musician were divided between teaching and performing with various bands, orchestras, and musical productions. He was a member of Opus 13 and the legendary Cuban Modern Music Orchestra, an ensemble from which some of Cuba’s most celebrated musicians — such as Arturo Sandoval and Paquito D’Rivera — also emerged.
He was discovered by Chucho Valdés during a concert with pianist Pucho López, who then invited him to join the iconic Cuban band Irakere, which Valdés was directing at the time. At only 22 years old, Machado became part of this legendary group, widely regarded as one of the most important ensembles in modern Cuban music history.
Manuel Machado’s professional career is vast, having toured, recorded, and performed with some of the greatest names in music, including Celia Cruz, Paquito D’Rivera, Steve Turre, Chucho Valdés, Irakere, Perico Sambeat, Javier Colina, Bebo Valdés, Chano Domínguez, Jorge Pardo, Joaquín Sabina, Ketama, Joan Manuel Serrat, Enrique Morente, La Barbería del Sur, José Mercé, and Rocío Jurado, among many others.
In 1992, during a tour in Spain, Machado decided to remain in Madrid, leaving the group he had been touring with and settling in the country.
Highly regarded by his peers, Manuel Machado is known for his extraordinary musicianship, versatility, and warm, distinctive tone. In addition to the trumpet, he is equally adept on the flugelhorn, piano, and as a composer. He is considered one of the leading figures in Latin jazz, and in 2015 he released his first solo album, “Vivencias”.
Deeply respected within the music community, fellow musicians praise his instrumental mastery, unique sound, and his remarkable ability to adapt to any musical style or setting.
Cuarteto Thader
Cuarteto Thader is an ensemble made up of Lola Alburquerque Moreno (violin), Cecilia Martínez Rodríguez (cello), Pedro Valero Abril (piano), and José Manuel Escobar Belmonte (trumpet).
The group seeks to make each concert a unique experience for the audience by incorporating complementary stage languages that allow the performance to be experienced in a distinctive and personal way. This approach stems from the ensemble’s desire to expand the boundaries of classical and alternative music, by experimenting with and adapting works from various cultures, periods, and styles.
Originally, the quartet was founded to fulfil their creative interests and to put into practice their extensive training in chamber music, developed over years of studying their individual instruments.
Today, the group is constantly searching for new ways to breathe life into the repertoire, always evolving and researching new programmes that aim to bring chamber music closer to audiences through engaging and imaginative performances.
Josemi Carmona
Josemi Carmona is a brilliant and versatile musician, widely regarded as a key figure in the fusion of world music genres.
The son of maestro Pepe Habichuela, he began playing the guitar at the age of three. From a very young age, he embarked on a career marked by the sensuality of his melodies and his ability to blend flamenco with jazz, salsa, bossa nova, raï, and even Mandinka music.
He joined the pioneering flamenco-fusion group Ketama at just 14 years old, becoming an essential part of the band’s evolution. Alongside his work with Ketama, he collaborated on albums with numerous artists including Paco de Lucía, Alejandro Sanz, and Jorge Pardo, and worked as a producer for Niña Pastori and La Barbería del Sur.
After twenty years with Ketama, he began his solo career, creating a rich musical language that blends traditional flamenco with electric bass and keyboards, often performing alongside his father. This journey led to the recording of Sumando (2006) — with Carles Benavent — followed by Hands, with Pepe Habichuela and Dave Holland, and Las Pequeñas Cosas, which was nominated for a Latin Grammy in 2011 for Best Flamenco Album.