Malaga's tribute to the Spanish guitar: ten days of recitals, masterclasses and an international competition

Tuesday, 24 June 2025, 11:19

The Spanish guitar is deeply rooted in Spanish culture, but it has been a difficult instrument to place in classrooms and concert halls.

Just one fact: while the historic María Cristina music conservatory (now the Sala Fundación Unicaja) was opened in 1880, the guitar was not made part of its educational programme until 1946, under the guidance of maestro José Navas.

The festival pays tribute to the Malaga school Navas founded by placing the Spanish Guitar at the center of study and performance over a ten-day period. The first Malaga international guitar festival will bring together young six-string musicians and established artists from around the world. It includes masterclasses, exhibitions, and competitions.

Maestro Rodrigo’s iconic ‘Concierto de Aranjuez’ – the most performed classical guitar work in the world – will open the programme at the Teatro Cervantes on 30 June, with the Malaga Philharmonic Orchestra conducted by Francisco Valero-Terribas and soloist Javier García Moreno, the festival’s director.

The programme for that day ends with the ‘Concierto Andaluz’, also by Joaquín Rodrigo, and the upcoming guitar quartet QuarteTomás (tickets between 9.22 and 24.58 euros).

The Brazilian Yamandu Costa will perform the closing concert on 9 July, a master of seven-string guitar, and Latin Grammy award winner. This concert will take place at Gibralfaro Castle, for 20 euros.

Between these dates, there are three notable options that have a Malaga flair. Rafael Aguirre, an international concert guitarist with milestones such as his recital at New York’s Carnegie Hall, returns home with a concert on Friday 4 July at the Sala Fundación Unicaja María Cristina, featuring scores by Bach and Chopin as well as Paco de Lucía and Agustín Barrios (tickets at 20 euros). Aguirre’s next two masterclasses will be held at the Conservatorio Superior.

Then we move from a traditional Malaga musician to one who plays flamenco. Daniel Casares will be on stage on Tuesday 8 July at the María Cristina (20 euros) with some original compositions and flamenco adaptations of classical and popular repertoire, always combining tradition with contemporary and symphonic influences.

Completing the local contributions is the Malaga Guitar Orchestra, which brings together several generations of string professionals, in this case walking us through pieces by Piazzolla to Manuel de Falla on 2 July in the Sala Fundación Unicaja María Cristina (15 euros).

The festival also welcomes classical guitarist Anabel Montesinos, who will take the audience on a sonic journey through the centuries and styles (1 July, María Cristina, 20 euros).

Next, the unique Andalusian guitarist Paco Seco, who brings the precision of the classical guitar to the expressive power of flamenco (3 July, María Cristina, 20 euros).

Carlos Piñana’s Flamenco Trio takes traditional styles through a contemporary filter (5 July, Sala Fundación Unicaja María Cristina, 20 euros).

That trio is followed by Cuban guitarist Josué Fonseca, who combines Latin America and Spain in his repertoire (6 July, María Cristina, 15 euros) and then David Martínez, who will take us on a journey through two centuries of Spanish guitar music in a recital (7 July, Sala Fundación Unicaja María Cristina, 20 euros).

Martínez will also give masterclasses as part of a parallel agenda of activities, including a lecture by Adrián Rius on the work of Francisco Tárrega and an exhibition on the history of the instrument (both on 5 July at the Conservatorio Superior de Música). A competition has also been launched, for which nine different nationalities of young musicians have already signed up. The final will be held at the Malaga music conservatory, on Wednesday 9th July.

The impetus behind this event comes from a guitarist from Malaga, heir to the tradition started by Navas, Javier García Moreno, who is also current director of Malaga’s music conservatory. He is the son of guitarist and teacher Antonio García Azuaga and he presides over the World Spanish Guitar Foundation and is directing the first instance of this festival with the conviction that the guitar “needs a space worthy of its own”.

He said at the launch at Malaga City Hall: “The Guitar has been with us since centuries. It deserves to be a home that can grow, and Malaga is this home.” The guitar festival has the support of mayor Francisco de la Torre and three foundations: Fundación Unicaja, Fundación Málaga and Fundación Musical de Málaga. Several of the recitals will take place in the María Cristina concert hall. Fundación Málaga will award 5,000 euros to the winner of the festival competition and Malaga’s Fundación Musical will contribute an amount for the masterclasses.

The Pepe Romero Guitar Festival returns to the city for the fourth time this autumn. This festival is dedicated to the international group formed by Malaga-born Celedonio Roma.