“virtuosic playing … irresistible exuberance” The New York Times
Undoubtedly the most virtuoso guitarist of his generation, Pablo Sainz-Villegas has been acclaimed by the international press as the successor to Andrés Segovia and an ambassador of Spanish culture in the world. He is the first solo guitarist to perform at Carnegie Hall in New York since Maestro Andrés Segovia did so in 1983, the first guitarist to play with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra since 2001, and the first guitarist to perform with the Berliner Philharmoniker at the New Year's Eve Gala since 1983.
Since his debut with the New York Philharmonic under the baton of Rafael Frühbeck de Burgos at the Avery Fisher Hall in Lincoln Center, he has performed in over 40 countries and with orchestras such as the Israel Philharmonic, San Francisco Symphony, Zurich Tonhalle Orchestra, and the National Orchestra of Spain, as well as in venues such as the Tchaikovsky Concert Hall in Moscow, the Musikverein in Vienna, the Concertgebouw in Amsterdam, the National Centre for the Performing Arts in Beijing, and the Suntory Hall in Tokyo, among many others of equal importance and reputation.
His most notable milestones include the Princess of Asturias Awards Concert and his participation in the Metropolitan Opera Gala last May at the Palace of Versailles. His numerous performances at the Santiago Bernabéu Stadium in Madrid, which captivated more than 85,000 attendees, as well as concerts held in distinguished venues such as Grant Park in Chicago, the iconic Praça do Comércio in Lisbon, and the illustrious Hollywood Bowl, accompanied by the LA Philharmonic, have made him one of this generation’s most remarkable and prolific performers.
Pablo Sainz-Villegas has been awarded more than 30 international prizes, including the Andrés Segovia Award, the Riojan Arts Award, the Ojo Crítico Award from RNE, and the Trelles Villademoros Award granted by the Royal Body of the Nobility of the Principality of Asturias. He was also granted an honorary doctorate degree by the University of La Rioja and is a member of the Academy of Performing Arts of Spain. He has performed for world leaders such as the Dalai Lama and has debuted numerous world premieres, including John Williams’s first guitar composition.
As a socially committed artist, he is the founder and driving force behind the non-profit association Strings in Common in the United States. He is also the creator and artistic director of the La Rioja Festival in Spain.
As an exclusive artist for SONY Classical, he has released three albums. His latest project, 'The Blue Album,' was released in June 2023.
Highlights of his 2023/2024 performance season include a tour of Colombia with Spanish National Orchestra, a New Year's concert with the Bratislava Metropolitan Orchestra, his debut with the Philadelphia Orchestra with Miguel Harth- Bedoya, among many others.
Pablo Sainz-Villegas was born in La Rioja, Spain, and has been living in the United States since 2001.
