Ricardo Gallén facts for kids

Ricardo Jesús Gallén García, born on March 12, 1972, is a famous classical guitarist from Spain. He has been an active musician since the mid-1990s. Today, he teaches guitar at the Hochschule für Musik Franz Liszt, Weimar in Germany.

Ricardo Gallén's Musical Journey

Ricardo Gallén was born in Linares, Jaén, Spain in 1972. He started playing the classical guitar when he was just four years old. Amazingly, he gave his first public performance only a year later!

When he was ten, Ricardo joined the Conservatory of Music in Cordoba. There, he received his first official music lessons from the school's director, Tomás Villajos Soler. He continued his studies at other Conservatories in Spain, including Jaén, Cordoba, Madrid, and Granada. During this time, he learned from many great teachers like Victor Valls and Demetrio Ballesteros. He also attended special advanced classes, called master classes, both in Spain and other countries.

Ricardo studied guitar and old music at the Mozarteum University of Salzburg and the Hochschule für Musik und Theater München. He learned from masters like Eliot Fisk and Joaquin Clerch. In 1999, he earned a special diploma called the Meisterklassendiplom (Konzertexam) from the Hochschule für Musik und Theater München.

Teaching Music Around the World

From 2001 to 2006, Ricardo Gallén worked as a professor at Ramon Llull University in Spain. He also became an assistant professor for Eliot Fisk's class at the Mozarteum University of Salzburg from 2004 to 2009.

He taught at the University of Extremadura in Spain from 2005 to 2013. He was also a guest professor at other music schools in Spain. Since 2009, Ricardo Gallén has been a full professor at the Hochschule für Musik "Franz Liszt", Weimar in Germany.

Performing and Judging Competitions

Ricardo Gallén has performed in many concerts all over the world. He plays solo, in duets, and with orchestras. He has worked with famous conductors like Leo Brouwer and Jordi Savall. He has performed in over 30 countries across Europe, America, Australia, and New Zealand. Some of the famous concert halls he has played in include the Royal Concertgebouw in Amsterdam and the National Auditorium of Music in Madrid.

Besides performing, Ricardo Gallén has also been a judge in many international guitar competitions. He has also given master classes in various countries, teaching advanced guitar skills to students.

Recordings and Albums

Ricardo Gallén's first album was very popular for Naxos Records in 2001. It received excellent reviews from music critics. After that, he released five more albums with Naxos. On these albums, he played music by composers like Mauro Giuliani and Leo Brouwer. He also recorded all the guitar concertos by the Spanish composer Joaquin Rodrigo.

In 2013, he released a double CD featuring all of Bach's lute suites with Sunnyside Records. In 2014, his latest CD, "Fernando Sor – Guitar Sonatas," was released by Eudora Records. He has also recorded for radio and television in many countries, including Spain, Germany, and the USA.

Ricardo Gallén plays a classical guitar made by Paco Santiago Marín and a romantic guitar by Arnoldo García. He uses Savarez Alliance Strings.

Awards and Recognition

Ricardo Gallén has taken part in more than twenty international guitar competitions. He has won five first-place awards, which is a great achievement! Some of his top wins include:

• The 32nd Markneukirchen International Instrumental Competition (1997)
• The 14th Andrés Segovia International Classical Guitar Competition (1998), where he also won a special prize.
• The Fourth Alhambra International Guitar Competition (1998)
• The 33rd Francisco Tarrega International Guitar Contest (1999), where he also won the Audience Prize.
• The 11th International Guitar Competition (2002), where he won five special prizes.

Discography

• Sor: Guitar Sonatas (Eudora)
• Bach: Complete Lute Works (Sunnyside)
• Tales · Diego Barber (Sunnyside)
• Giuliani: Variations (Naxos)
• Guitar Recital: Ricardo Gallen (Naxos)
• Regondi: Airs Varies / Reverie, Op. 19 / Mertz: Bardenklange, Op. 13 (Naxos)
• Rodrigo: Concierto de Aranjuez / Concierto Andaluz (Complete Orchestral Works, Vol. 2) (Naxos)
• Rodrigo Concierto Madrigal / Concierto para una Fiesta (Complete Orchestral Works, Vol. 5) (Naxos)
• Rodrigo: Joaquin Rodrigo – A Portrait (Naxos)
• Adagio Chillout (Naxos)
• Classical Chillout – The Essential Collection (Naxos)

What Critics Say About Ricardo Gallén

Music critics have often praised Ricardo Gallén's guitar playing. They describe his performances as impressive and confident, showing a new and exciting musical talent.

Critics have noted that Ricardo plays music in a natural way, making even difficult pieces sound easy. They admire his ability to bring out the feeling in the music, whether it's lively or calm. Many reviews highlight his elegant style and how he makes complex parts of the music clear and beautiful. His recordings are often recommended for their excellent sound quality and his expressive playing.

See also

In Spanish: Ricardo Gallén para niños