Caracara | for solo guitar by Frank A. Wallace

Juan Carlos Laguna, an exclusive artist for Urtext Digital Classics, is considered by international critics to be one of the most important guitarists in his country, both for his virtuoso technique and extraordinary interpreting capacity. He has been a soloist for both the principal orchestras en Mexico and foreign ones, such as; The National Symphony Orchestra, The OFUNAM, The Carlos Chavez Symphony Orchestra, The Cairo Symphony Orchestra, the London Symphony Orchestra, The Berliner Sinphonietta, The Flint Symphony Orchestra and The Lima Philharmonic Orchestra. He has given performances on numerous occasions at some of the most important music halls in Mexico and in other countries such as: Argentina, Puerto Rico, Cuba, Guatemala, Costa Rica, Peru, Germany, Italy, France, England, The Czech Republic, Japan, Egypt and The United States. His extensive discography includes commercial recordings in Mexico, France, England and Japan for Kojima Recordings, Soundspells Productions, Forlane, Auvidis and Urtext Digital Classics, as well as cinema recordings.

The Mexican guitarist Pablo Garibay has established himself as a leading force on the international classical guitar scene, with his pioneering interpretations of well-known classics and impressive performances of lesser-known masterpieces. With a repertoire that includes the great guitar concertos, notably those by Rodrigo, Vivaldi, Giuliani, Castelnuovo-Tedesco, Manuel Ponce and Villa-Lobos, Pablo Garibay is particularly known for his interpretations of Latin American music, having performed premières by contemporary composers Ernesto Garcia de León, Juan Helguera, Diógenes Rivas, Mateo Barreiro, Ernesto Cordero, Rodrigo Sigal, and Tomás Barreiro. As a concerto soloist, he made his professional début with the Orquesta Filarmónica de la Ciudad de Mexico and has since appeared as soloist with orchestras throughout Europe and the Americas. A winner of no fewer than sixteen international prizes, including first prizes at the International Francisco Tárrega Competition, International Julián Arcas Competition (Spain), Manuel Ponce International Guitar Competition (Mexico City), René Bartoli International Competition (Aix-en-Provence, France), JoAnn Falletta International Guitar Concerto Competition (Buffalo, USA), the International Guitar Competition in Aachen, and the International Guitar Competition in Gevelsberg (Germany). He is currently Guitar Professor at the UNAM’s Music Faculty in Mexico City. Pablo Garibay plays guitars made by Kamil Jaderny.