Praised as “the soul of the Spanish guitar,” Pablo Sáinz-Villegas has become a worldwide sensation known as this generation’s great guitarist. He has been acclaimed by the international press as the successor of Andrés Segovia and an ambassador of Spanish culture in the world.
His “virtuosic playing characterized by irresistible exuberance” (The New York Times) make him one of the most acclaimed soloists by prestigious conductors, orchestras and festivals. He is known for his passionate, emotive and open-hearted playing, whether he is performing at intimate recital halls, or playing to an audience of more than 85,000 at Santiago Bernabéu Stadium in Madrid with beloved tenor Plácido Domingo, who has hailed him as "the master of the guitar.” Together they have performed at the Hollywood Bowl in Los Angeles, as well as on a floating stage on the Amazon River. They most recently released “Volver,” a duo album on Sony Classical.
Sáinz-Villegas has appeared on some of the world’s most prominent stages, including the Carnegie Hall in New York, the Philharmonie in Berlin, the Musikverein in Vienna and the National Center for the Performing Arts in Beijing. He has played in more than 40 countries and with orchestras such as the Israel Philharmonic, the Los Angeles Philharmonic and the National Orchestra of Spain. In 2019, he made his debut with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, playing the beloved Concierto de the Aranjuez; as a solo recitalist, he performed for the first time at the Harris Theater in Chicago and at Boston’s Celebrity Series.
He will also continue touring with his trio, along with a special presentation at the iconic Blue Note Jazz Club in New York. Billboard magazine named him “the global ambassador of Spanish guitar” and a passionate promoter of the development of new repertoire, he has made many world premieres, including the first composition for guitar by five-time Academy Award-winner John Williams.
Sáinz-Villegas thrives over a continuous search of innovative ways to inspire communities since he considers that “music is an ideal tool to humanize this world.” As a lifelong dreamer, educator and philanthropist, he has reached more than 35,000 children and youth through his non-profit the Music Without Borders Legacy and through his various Artist-in-Residence collaborations with orchestras and festivals.
Please note: Biographies are based on information provided to the CSO by the artists or their representatives. More current information may be available on websites of the artists or their management.
