“It’s safe to call him the global ambassador of Spanish guitar”  —Billboard Magazine

Hailed as one of the world's most acclaimed soloists, the successor of the great guitar virtuoso Andrés Segovia, and an ambassador of Spanish culture, Pablo Sáinz-Villegas comes to Sarasota on the first weekend in December to share his "virtuosic playing, characterized by irresistible exuberance" (The New York Times) with Sarasota Orchestra audiences. 

Born in June 1977 in the city of Logroño, located in northern Spain’s La Rioja province, Sáinz-Villegas began his musical studies there before embarking on an international career. Since his debut with the New York Philharmonic under the baton of Rafael Frühbeck de Burgos at Lincoln Center, he has played in more than 40 countries with orchestras such as the Berlin Philharmonic, Chicago Symphony, Philharmonic of Israel, Los Angeles Philharmonic, and the National Orchestra of Spain. Sáinz-Villegas has already appeared on some of the world’s most prestigious stages, including New York’s Carnegie Hall, the Musikverein in Vienna, the Philharmonie in Berlin, the National Arts Center in Beijing, and the Tchaikovsky Concert Hall in Moscow. 

A tireless promoter of expanding the repertoire for Spanish classical guitar, Sáinz-Villegas has performed numerous world premieres—among them Rounds, the first composition for guitar by five-time Academy Award-winner John Williams. Williams says of Sáinz-Villegas: “It’s very exciting to see the appreciation of his exquisite artistry growing worldwide. It is a recognition that he so richly deserves!”

Currently, Sáinz-Villegas is an exclusive artist of SONY Classical records. His newest recording—The Blue Album—brings together some of the most beautiful and heartfelt melodies ever written. The guitar whispers an invitation to listeners to delve into the depths of their souls.

One of the most exciting and unusual musical encounters to have taken place in recent years was the meeting between Plácido Domingo, the world-renowned opera tenor, and Sáinz-Villegas in June 2016 at a benefit concert marking Domingo’s 75th birthday. The concert—held in Madrid’s Santiago Bernabéu Stadium before an audience of 80,000 enthusiastic spectators—became the catalyst for the musically delightful collaboration between the two artists in 2018 on their Sony Classical recording, Volver. Domingo praised Sáinz-Villegas as a “master of the guitar and an extraordinary musician.”

Sarasota Orchestra welcomes Sáinz-Villegas to the Van Wezel stage on December 6 and 7 for Masterworks: Close Encounters, led by the Orchestra’s new music director, Giancarlo Guerrero. Maestro Guerrero commented: “I am very excited to work with my good friend, who is playing one of the most beloved pieces in the repertoire, the Concierto de Aranjuez. This beautiful composition captures the idealized essence of Spain’s past with a distinctive, elegant, and royal style.”

To learn more and purchase tickets to Masterworks: Close Encounters, visit Sarasota Orchestra’s website or call the Box Office at 941-953-3434. All programs and featured artists are subject to change.