Malaga's Tribute to the Spanish Guitar: Ten Days of Recitals, Masterclasses, and an International Competition

It is the most quintessential instrument, deeply rooted in our culture, yet it has struggled to find its place in concert halls and classrooms. Just one fact: although the historic María Cristina Music Conservatory (today Unicaja Foundation Hall) was inaugurated in 1880, the guitar was not included in the educational program until 1946, through the efforts of maestro José Navas. A festival now pays tribute to that Malaga school that Navas started, placing the Spanish guitar at the center of study and performance for ten days. International artists and young talents of the six strings will meet in the city from June 30 to July 9 at the 1st International Guitar Festival City of Málaga, an event that includes recitals, masterclasses, an exhibition, and even a competition.

The iconic 'Concierto de Aranjuez' by maestro Rodrigo - the most performed classical guitar work in the world - will open the agenda at the Cervantes Theater on June 30, featuring the Malaga Philharmonic Orchestra conducted by Francisco Valero-Terribas and soloist Javier García Moreno, the festival director. The program for that day is rounded out with the 'Concierto Andaluz', also by Joaquín Rodrigo, and the emerging guitar quartet QuarteTomás (between 9.22 euros and 24.58 euros). The event will close on July 9 with Brazilian Yamandu Costa, master of the seven-string guitar and Latin Grammy winner, with a concert at Gibralfaro Castle (20 euros).

Between these two highlights, three proposals with a Malaga accent stand out. Rafael Aguirre, an international concert performer with milestones like his recital at Carnegie Hall in New York, returns home with a concert on Friday, July 4, at the Unicaja María Cristina Foundation Hall featuring scores by Bach and Chopin, but also by Paco de Lucía and Agustín Barrios (20 euros). In the following days, Aguirre will teach two masterclasses at the Higher Conservatory.

From a classic Malaga native to another flamenco artist. Daniel Casares will perform on Tuesday, July 8, at María Cristina (20 euros) with original compositions and flamenco adaptations of classical and popular repertoire, always combining tradition with contemporary and symphonic influences. The local contribution is completed by the Malaga Guitar Orchestra, where several generations of string professionals gather, in this case with a journey from Piazzolla to Manuel de Falla on July 2 at the Unicaja María Cristina Foundation Hall (15 euros).

Moreover, the festival welcomes classical guitarist Anabel Montesinos with a sonic journey through centuries and styles (July 1. Unicaja María Cristina Foundation Hall. 20 euros); the unique Andalusian guitarist Paco Seco, with the precision of classical guitar and the expressive power of flamenco (July 3. Unicaja María Cristina Foundation Hall. 20 euros); the Flamenco Trio of Carlos Piñana, which filters traditional styles through a contemporary lens (July 5. Unicaja María Cristina Foundation Hall. 20 euros); Cuban guitarist Josué Fonseca, who connects his repertoire between Ibero-America and Spain (July 6. Unicaja María Cristina Foundation Hall. 15 euros) and David Martínez, who proposes a journey through two centuries of Spanish music on the guitar in a recital (July 7. Unicaja María Cristina Foundation Hall. 20 euros).

Youths from nine nationalities have registered for the international competition, with a first prize of 5,000 euros

Martínez will also give masterclasses as part of a schedule of parallel activities that includes a lecture by Adrián Rius on the work of Francisco Tárrega and an exhibition on the history of the instrument (both on July 5 at the Higher Conservatory of Music); as well as a competition for which young talents from nine nationalities have already registered. The final will take place at the Higher Conservatory of Málaga on Wednesday, July 9.

Behind this event is the drive of a Malaga guitarist heir to the tradition started by Navas, Javier García Moreno, current director of the Higher Conservatory of Málaga. Son of the guitarist and professor Antonio García Azuaga, García Moreno presides over the World Spanish Guitar Foundation and directs the first edition of the festival with the conviction that the guitar "needs a space worthy of it".

"The guitar has been with us for centuries, it deserves a home where it can grow and Málaga is that home," he highlighted at the launch of this initiative in the Hall of Mirrors at the City Hall of Málaga, with the support of Mayor Francisco de la Torre and three foundations: Unicaja Foundation, Málaga Foundation, and Musical Foundation of Málaga. Several of the recitals will take place at the Unicaja María Cristina Foundation Hall; the Málaga Foundation will award 5,000 euros to the winner of the festival competition, and the Musical Foundation will contribute a sum for the development of the masterclasses.

This is the second event around the guitar held in the city, where in the fall the Pepe Romero Guitar Festival will return for the fourth year, a series sponsored by the family of international guitarists founded by the Malaga native Celedonio Romero.