Jury

Dr. Michael Quantz is a pioneer in guitar ensemble curriculum and classroom education for guitar students. A professor of music at the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley, he directed the inaugural 2018 National Guitar Ensemble. He has received the Outstanding Teaching Award from the University of Texas Regents System and the Outstanding Teaching Award from the President of the University of Texas at Brownsville.

He served as Director of Education for the Guitar Foundation of America (GFA), and is a founding board member of the Texas Guitar Directors Association, which began its service to music education in 2017. In addition, he was the creator and director of the GFA International Youth Competition and Guitar Ensemble Showcase.

He is also widely known as a conductor and clinician for guitar orchestras, having conducted the Florida Music Education Association All-State Guitar Ensemble in 2017, as well as many world premieres of music in this genre.

Dr. Quantz's guitar ensembles have toured Austria (by invitation, with performances at the U.S. Embassy in Vienna and Schoenbrunn Palace), performed twice for the annual convention of the National Flute Association, and three times for the Texas Music Educators Association convention.

Conductor, composer, classical guitarist and music educator, born in Asuncion on November 28th, 1962. In 1979 he graduated with the title of Superior Professor of Classical Guitar at the Conservatory "Agustín Barrios", directed by M° Felipe Sosa from whom he would receive his training until the conclusion of the same. With Mo. José Luís Miranda, he received instruction in Musical Language, Harmony and Counterpoint. After a brief period as a teacher and performer in our country, he moved to the Rca. Argentina, where from 1983 to 1986 he studied his professional career, obtaining the title of Master of Musical Culture with specialization in Classical Guitar in 1986, at the Escuela Superior Municipal de Música "Celia Torrá" of Concepción del Uruguay - Entre Ríos - Argentina. He continued his specialization studies at the Provincial Conservatory "Juan José Castro" - La Lucila - Province of Buenos Aires, while pursuing Higher Studies in Music, obtaining in 1995 the title of Professor of Music with instrumental specialization with emphasis in Classical Guitar - Escuela Superior Municipal de Música "Celia Torrá" of Concepción del Uruguay - Entre Ríos - Argentina. His improvement in guitar in the Rca. Argentina with Lucio Núñez, Jorge Martínez Zárate, etc. Parallel to his guitar and pedagogical studies, he studied Viola with Gustavo Stecko and Alejandro Beraldi, Chamber Music with Elena Becker, Pedro Giambaretta, Cecilia Metler, among others, orchestral practice and teaching with Marcelo DeMathaeis, Norberto García and Huberto Carfi. Composition with García Murillo and Mario Rapalini.

COURSES AND SEMINARS

In 1980, he actively participated in the master classes on the history and evolution of the guitar given by the French specialist Robert de Vidal (Asuncion, Paraguay); In 1984, IIIrd International Guitar Seminar directed by the Uruguayan Master Abel Carlevaro (Buenos Aires - Argentina); In 1987, IInd. International Guitar Seminar directed by the Uruguayan Master Abel Carlevaro (Buenos Aires - Argentina); In 1987, IInd. Seminar of Interpretation of the works of Johann Sebastian Bach, directed by the North American specialist Rosalyn Turex (Buenos Aires - Argentina); In 1989, IIdo. International Guitar Seminar organized by the Tourist Complex "LAS LEÑAS" in Mendoza (Argentina), directed by the international guitar master Miguel Angel Girolet and with the participation of outstanding masters such as the guitar duo Pomponio-Zárate and the guitarist Eduardo Egües. In 1991, II Training and Improvement Course in bowed instruments dictated and directed by Gustavo Stecko (Concepción del Uruguay - Entre Ríos - Argentina). In 1991, III Training and Improvement Course in bowed instruments dictated and directed by Gustavo Stecko and Norberto García. Specialty "Viola". (Concepción del Uruguay - Entre Ríos - Argentina). In 1992 and 93 he actively participates in the IV and V Course of Training and Improvement in bowed instruments dictated and directed by Maestro Humberto Carfi. Specialty "Viola". (Concepción del Uruguay - Entre Ríos - Argentina) In 1993 Course of Composition and Choral Arrangements, dictated by the Director and Composer Liliana Cangiano (Concepción del Uruguay - Entre Ríos - Argentina). In 1996, he actively participates in the "FIRST INTERNATIONAL MUSIC WEEK" in the city of Concepción del Uruguay - Entre Ríos - Argentina, - Seminar of Orchestral Conducting dictated by the Conductor and Mtro. Gustavo Guersman (Tucumán) - Seminar of Violin, Viola dictated by Mtro. Alejandro Beraldi (Buenos Aires).

CONTESTS

In 1985, 1st Prize guitar contest "HOMAGE TO AGUSTÍN BARRIOS", in Paraguay. In 1985, 3rd Prize guitar contest "TRIBUTE TO J. S. BACH AND AGUSTÍN BARRIOS", Bs. - Buenos Aires, Argentina. In 1988, participation in the International Competition "Dr. Luis Sigall" "Mention Classical Guitar" in Viña del Mar - Chile. In 1994, participation in the IV International Competition of Classical Guitar "PRINTEMPS DE LA GUITARRE 94", Belgium. In 1996, participation in the "CONCURSO INTERNACIONAL DE GUITARRA CLÁSICA - ABEL CARLEVARO", Montevideo - Uruguay.

PROFESSIONAL DATA

He has participated with his guitar in numerous public performances in Paraguay, Argentina and Uruguay in theaters, radio, television and institutions. In all of them he played the role of soloist, as well as soloist accompanied by orchestras and chamber groups. He was a member of numerous choral, orchestral and chamber ensembles: Coro Estable Municipal de la ciudad de C. del Uruguay. Choir of the National Technological University. Argentina. Choir of the Municipal Superior School of Music "Celia Torrá". Argentina. Gregorian Choral Group "SCHOLA LITORALENSIS" (C. del Uruguay). String Orchestra of the Escuela Superior Municipal de Música "Celia Torrá" Orchestral Group of the Escuela Superior Municipal de Música "Celia Torra" Municipal Orchestra of the City of Concepción del Uruguay-Argentina. Vocal and Instrumental Ensemble "PARACUARIUM" (C. del Uruguay). He teaches classical guitar. He begins in Paraguay and continues this activity in the Rca. Argentina as a teaching assistant and later on as a tenured professor. Professor in different disciplines of musical artistic specialization. Initially as a teaching assistant and later as a tenured professor. He was conductor in different orchestral groups, such as: Orquesta Infanto Juvenil de la Escuela Superior Municipal de Música "Celia Torrá de la ciudad de Concepción del Uruguay-Entre Ríos, Argentina. Camerata "Profesor Jorge Báez" from Asunción-Paraguay. Chamber Orchestra "Zípoli" of the city of Luque-Paraguay. He was the Director of the Chamber Orchestras "Scholanía Instrumental" and "Estudiantina Instrumental" of the "Escuela Musical Miranda", he is also the founding Director of the CAMERATA MIRANDA. In July 2001, he participated as a string teacher instructor in the 2nd International Festival of Campos (Rio de Janeiro-Brazil) "FEMUSICA 2001". He has worked as a professor in institutions such as the Conservatory "Jorge Baez" in Asuncion and the Conservatory "ZIPOLI" in the city of Luque. He has participated as an instructor in the Mamorei Musical Camping, organized by Tierra Nuestra, as well as in the seminars and workshops of the project "Sonidos de la tierra". He was director and founder of the project "Musicordalia". Orchestral Colony that prepares children and young people in orchestral practice. He was part of the itinerant instructors of the Sonidos de la Tierra Project directed by Maestro Luis Szaran -Director of the OSCA (Symphonic Orchestra of the City of Asuncion). He is a professor in different musical disciplines in the prestigious "Escuela Musical Miranda", Professor in the area of Wind and Percussion as well as Director of the Symphonic Band of the SOS Village in Luque, Professor in the area of Wind and Percussion as well as Director of the Symphonic Band of the Ha Che Valle Conservatory in San Juan Bautista-Misiones, Director of the Municipal Conservatory of Luque and professor in the musical department - strings area - of the American School of Asuncion. In Paraguay he is the promoter of the school of bowed instruments developed by the master Humberto Carfi and spread by Mo. Norberto García, its main exponent. In the field of composition, it is worth mentioning the Orchestral Suite that he composed, in collaboration with Mo. José Luis Miranda, for the musicalization of the play "Juan el Hachero" by the poet Herib Campos Cervera, with the general direction of the poet and playwright Rudy Torga and premiered on June 22, 1996. In addition to this, he has written micro pieces for guitar of academic content, as well as arrangements, transcriptions and adaptations for String Orchestra and Symphony Orchestra, of the classical, popular Paraguayan and universal repertoire. He is president of the Orchestra Foundation, an entity dedicated to develop interdisciplinary artistic projects of a cultural nature, with emphasis on music, involving a large number of musicians, who often do not find the opportunity to channel their minds due to lack of opportunities. He serves as Director of the Municipal Conservatory of Music CIUDAD DE LUQUE since 2007, a musical educational project of social character, promoted by Dr. Delicia Muñoz de Cabrejo. Since 2013 he is a member of the teaching staff in the Bachelor's Degree in Music at the Instituto Superior de Bellas Artes, Asunción-Paraguay.

José Carlos Cabrera is considered one of Paraguay's leading classical guitarists. His talent led him from an early age to obtain several awards. He was born in Sapucai, where he started playing music at the age of 10. He graduated with honors as Superior Professor of Classical Guitar at the Escuela Musical Miranda with maestro Javier Aquino. He obtained the degree of Bachelor of Musical Arts with orientation in Guitar with the distinction "Summa cum laude", at the National University of Art -DaMus, in Buenos Aires (2012) with maestro Javier Bravo. Berta Rojas referred to Cabrera in the following terms: "... We are in front of an exceptional talent, a young man who, in addition to his talent, is adorned with virtues such as humility, seriousness, dedication and a capacity for expression that is a jewel that adorns very few interpreters".

Awards and distinctions:

2nd Prize at the "XII International Guitar Competition Raúl Sánchez Clagett" (Atlántida - Uruguay, 2014); 1st Prize at the international performance competition "Momento Musical Opus 2009"; Jury of the same competition (2010); Honorable Mention at the Los Andes Guitar Festival Competition (Capilla del Monte- Córdoba); 2nd. Prize at the "Musicampus 2007 de Guitarra Clásica" (Córdoba) and at the 2nd Chamber Music Competition of the Universidad Nacional de Artes (2011) as a guitar duo with Agustín Nazzetta with whom he has recorded as a prize for the record label PRODaMus-BsAs. He was guest lecturer at the First Guitar Congress of Paraguay 2013, Academic Director of the 2nd Guitar Congress (Ayolas, 2014) and 3rd Guitar Congress (San Bernardino, 2014).

He has participated in several international festivals in South America and has premiered works by Paraguayan composers. He was guest soloist of numerous orchestras such as: Orquesta Sinfónica Nacional de Argentina, Orquesta Sinfónica de Posadas (Argentina), Orquesta Sinfónica de la Ciudad de Asunción, Orquesta Sinfónica Nacional (Py), Orquesta Sinfónica del Congreso de la Nación de Paraguay, Camerata Miranda, Orquesta de Cámara del Centro Cultural Paraguayo Americano, Ensamble de Música Antigua de la UNVES.

His passion for Agustín Barrios led him to study and disseminate a large number of original works by the composer, from the most to the least known and performed. Thus, in 2008 he presented two integral concert programs with 42 original works by Barrios, which were taken to different parts of the country. In March 2010, he made a mangoreana tour in Europe, to cities in France and Holland.

Together with Berta Rojas, he developed a guitar program in the Bañado Sur Community (2013). And he toured with the "Orquesta de Instrumentos Reciclados de Cateura" through Canada and the USA, which concluded with a concert at the world famous Kennedy Center of Performing Arts in Washington.

He was head of the Guitar Department of the Bachelor's Degree in Music at the Faculty of Arts and Culture of the National University of Villarrica del Espíritu Santo (UNVES 2013-14) and current professor in the Bachelor's Degree in Music at the Higher Institute of Fine Arts of Asunción.

He has won a scholarship from the Fondo Nacional de las Artes (FONDEC) to pursue a Master in Classical Guitar Performance at the Universidad Pablo de Olavide in Seville, which he completed in 2016 with the highest score, a fact that allowed him to recently record an album for the record label Contrastes Records, distributed internationally by Naxos Inc, with works by the composer Agustìn Barrios Mangoré. He also took a guitar and chamber music improvement course at the Conservatorio Superior de Música "Manuel Castillo" in Seville with maestro Francisco Bernier and gave several concerts in Spain, in the cities of Córdoba, Madrid, Huelva, Seville and Santiago de Compostela.

Born in Ciudad del Este, Paraguay. He began his musical studies at the Mangoré Conservatory of Ciudad del Este, taking guitar lessons with Prof. Jacinto Matiauda. In 2005 he received a scholarship from the Government of the Republic of China (Taiwan) with a full scholarship to study music. In 2010 he graduated from the National Taiwan University of Arts with the degree of Bachelor of Music with emphasis in classical guitar.

In the same year he was accepted by the prestigious Birmingham Conservatoire part of Birmingham City University in England to pursue his Master of Music studies, graduating in 2011.

During his studies in Taiwan Favio Rodriguez participated in several master classes with renowned figures in the guitar world such as: Shin-Ichi Fukuda, Tania Changnot, Paul Reilly, Pablo Marquez, Meng Feng Su and Pepe Romero.

In England he had lessons with Mark Ashford, Mark Eden (Eden-Stell Duo), Paul Galbraith, Elizabeth Pallet and Xue Fei Yang. Even abroad his performances included not only solo guitar music, but also guitar ensembles. His repertoire includes renowned works of baroque, classical, romantic and contemporary music. He is currently a Professor in the Bachelor's Degree in Music at the School of Fine Arts of the Universidad Nacional del Este.

He began his studies with Felipe Sosa, obtaining the title of Superior Professor of classical guitar. He studied in Montevideo, Uruguay, with Ramiro Agriel and other outstanding international teachers. He is currently in his last year of his Bachelor's Degree in Music with emphasis in classical guitar at the Instituto Superior de Bellas Artes.
As a concert performer he has performed in festivals and concerts in Peru, Argentina, Brazil, Uruguay and Paraguay. He is Academic Director and Professor at the Conservatorio Municipal de Guitarra Clásica "Agustín Barrios" in San Juan Bautista Misiones, he also teaches at the Conservatorio del IMA (Instituto Municipal de Arte de Asunción) and at the Academia "San Roque" in Capiatá.
He gave master classes in the three editions of the National Guitar Congress, in the 9th International Guitar Seminar in Uruguay and in the 4th Seminar of the University of San Martin de Porres in Lima, Peru. He participated as a jury in international guitar competitions in Uruguay and Peru. He is a member of the guitar trio "Mbarakatrío" with which he has recorded several albums.

Classical guitarist, composer, arranger and researcher from Paraguay. He began his studies at the National Conservatory of Music of Asuncion under the tutelage of Maestro Alfredo Galeano. He graduated as Professor of Classical Guitar with honors (Gold Medal Elementary Professor 2011 and Gold Medal Superior Professor 2013).

He has participated in different music festivals. Femusc (Santa Catarina-Brazil) Leo Brouwer Festival (San Paulo-Brazil) Guitarist Season (Tacna-Peru), Guitarras hermanadas (Buenos Aires- Argentina) among others.

He participated in composition courses with Maestro James Price (El Salvador), baroque interpretation course with Maestro Alexandre Chauffaud (France), improvisation course with Maestro Javier Abad (Spain), arrangement workshop with Maestro Fernando Schulmeier (Argentina), among others.

Seminars and Workshops with different teachers, David Russel, Eduardo Fernández, Berta Rojas, Eduardo Isaac, Carlos Pérez, Walter Ujaldón, Victor Villadangos, Luis Quintero, Jorge Caballero, Pirai Vaca, Nicolas Souza Barros, Felipe Sosa, Luis Carlos Barbieri, Francisco Gil, etc.

He performed concerts in different cities and halls of the country such as Fernando de la Mora, Capiatá, Areguá, Itauguá, Ypacaraí, Caacupé, Caazapá, Santa Rosa del Aguaray, La Colmena, Lima, among others.

In 2016 he was appointed as Pedagogical Coordinator of the Conservatorio Nacional de Música Filial Itauguá, and in 2017 appointed as Regent of the same institution, standing out in the Musical Educational management. In 2018 he traveled to the city of Buenos Aires to offer a recital where he premiered works by composer Fernando Schulmeier. He currently works as a teacher of Classical Guitar, being Head of Area and Director of the Elementary and Higher-Level ensembles of Conamu-Central, Coordinator of groups, and Director of the International Festival "Agustín Barrios Mangoré".