Alí Arango is one of the most prominent guitarists of his generation. With a virtuosity at the service of musicality and a balanced mix of subtlety and expressive power, he has conquered all types of audiences and juries. He is graduated from the Conservatory “Amadeo Rodán” (Havana) and Conservatory Liceu (Barcelona) with the highest qualification, being Winner of the Extraordinary Prize of the Conservatory Liceu between all the instruments. Parallel he studied with Maestro Antonio Alberto Rodríguez (Biki) and Maestro Joaquín Clerch. Ali Arango has received occasional lessons from Maestro Leo Brouwer as well as participated in different projects with him.

He has won 22 prizes in several guitar competitions. Among his most
important awards are:
– First Prize  and Public Prize in LII «Francisco Tarrega Competition» (Benicassim. Spain)
– First Prize, Alhambra Prize for new Spanish creation and Public Prize in XIIº International Alhambra Guitar Competition» (Valencia. Spain)
– First Prize in XXXII International Guitar Competition «Andrés Segovia» (La Herradura,
Spain)
– First Prize in XIV Concurso Internacional de la Habana. (Cuba)
– First Prize in VII International Guitar Competition «Gredos San Diego» in Madrid
– First Prize in XIII Palau de la Música Catalana Competition in Barcelona “El Primer Palau” (All Instruments and Formats)
– First Prize in International Guitar Competition “Düsseldorfer Gitarfestival” (Germany)
– First Prize XII International Guitar Competition «Miguel Llobet» (Barcelona. Spain)
– First Prize en el XXII International Guitar Competition «Andrés Segovia» ( Linares. Spain)
– First Prize in VI Encuentro Internacional de Guitarra “Norba Caesarina” (Cáceres. Spain)
– First Prize in XVII International Guitar Competition «Comarca el Condado» (Spain)

Alejandro Córdova, possesses an own style, based on the technical control exceptional gifts, equilibrium, coolness, virtuosity, musicality, and a curiosity by the knowledge, sensibility and experience tested in international settings as performer of classical music.

Is one of the main youths Mexican exponents of the Classical Guitar to National and International Level.

He was born in Cordoba, Mexico, initiating his studies with master Jesus Peña. He enters subsequently to the Faculty of Music of the University of Veracruz under the guardianship of the recognized teachers Consuelo Bolio, Massimo Gatta and Alfredo Sánchez.

He carried out studies in the Academy of Guitar Improvement “Francisco Tárrega” with master Paolo Pegoraro in Pordenone, Italy.

Graduate of the State Conservatory “Jacopo Tomadini” in Udine, Italy, where he studied the two-year Period of Specialization in Guitar with master Stefano Viola.

Former member of the Orchestra of Guitars of the Office of the secretary of Education and Culture, formed by Master Alfonso Moreno, with which carried out National and International musical tours; emphasizing the “Festival of the Palaces of Saint Petersburg, Russia”. Theater of the Museum Hermitage of Saint Petersburg; in the White Parlor of the State Museum Peterhof of the Great Palace of Peterhof and in the Theater of the Fortress of Novgorod.

His talent has been recognized by the specialized critics and he has done concerts in Italy, Spain, Greece, Russia, UK, USA, Costa Rica, and Mexico. He counts with two records, the first one recorded in London with John Taylor and the second one recorded in Seville with Contrastes records; also he participates regularly in the most important Festivals and National and International Contests.

MAIN ACHIEVEMENTS:

NOTICEABLE WINNER of prestigious national and international contests:

1. FIRST PLACE in the International Contest of Culiacan. March 2017.

2. SECOND PLACE in the International Contest of Linares “Andrés Segovia”. November 2016.

3. FIRST PLACE in the National Guitar Contest of Saltillo. July 2016.

4. FIRST PLACE and PRIZE OF THE PUBLIC in the International Guitar Contest of Barcelona “Miguel Llobet”. November 2013.

5. SECOND PLACE and PRIZE OF THE PUBLIC in the International Guitar Contest of Barcelona “Miguel Llobet”. November 2012.

6. FIRST PLACE and PRIZE OF THE PUBLIC in the 3rd International Guitar Contest of Seville. It was celebrated in Seville Spain October 26 2012

7. FIRST PLACE in the II International Contest of Guitar Gredos San Diego; Spain, celebrated in Madrid March 17 2012

8. FIRST PLACE in the XV International Guitar Festival , City of Coria; Spain, celebrated in Coria August 9 201

9. THIRD PLACE in the 2nd. International Guitar Contest of Seville, celebrated in Seville Spain, 28th. October, 2011

10. THIRD PLACE in the International Guitar Contest Agustin Barrios, celebrated in Region della Sardegna, Italy, November the 27th, 2011

11. THIRD PLACE in the IV International Guitar Contest of Culiacan, Mexico, celebrated on 9th march, 2011.

12. – FIRST PLACE on 1st. International Guitar Contest “Stefano Strata”, Pisa, Italy, October 30th, 2010.

13. FIRST PLACE in the “National Guitar Contest” Paracho, Mexico August 2010

14. PARTICIPATION AS THE FINALIST. In the “Soroptimist International D’ Italy, National Contest “Talent by the Music”,6th. Edition. Rome, Italy ,September 25-26 2009. He received Certificate of Participation to the National Selection.

15. FIRST PLACE in the “International Contest Julián Arcass” in Almería Spain, celebrated from the 24 to June 27 2009. He was declared the youngest guitarist in winning the First Place.

16. FIRST PLACE in the “International Contest “Giulio Rospigliosi”, celebrated in Lamporecchio, Italy. March 29 2009

17. FIRST PLACE AND PRIZE OF THE PUBLIC in the “”International Contest Region el Condado” celebrated in Santisteban del Puerto, Jaén, Spain, March 7 and 8 2009.

18. FIRST PLACE, in the “Cultural Festival Revueltas and First National Contest of Classical Guitar”, carried out in Durango, Mexico, on October 13th 1nd 14th, 2008.

19. FIRST PLACE, in the “Third National Contest of Interpret of Guitar “Ramón Noble”, Pachuca, Mexico, September 23th- 24th, 2008.

20. THIRD PLACE in the “”III International Encounter of Guitars and I National Contest of Guitar Xalapa 2007”, 28th April, 2007 Xalapa, Mexico.

21. FOURTH PLACE, Concorso Europeo di Chitarra Classica “Cittá di Gorizia” Prize Enrico Mercatali, 6th edition, (unlimited soloist of age), Castello Auditorium May 21, 2006. Gorizia, Italy. First Mexican and first Latin-American in obtaining in the category IV the First Place.

22. FIRST PLACE, in the “3rd Concorso Europeo di Chitarra Classica “Cittá di Gorizia” Prize Enrico Mercatali”. IV Category. (Less than 19 years) Castello Auditorium Gorizia, Italy. May 20, 2006

23. SECOND PLACE, in the “V National Contest of Classical Guitar 2006 Culiacan, Mexico7 and 8 of March 7th and 8th, 2006

24. SECOND PLACE, in the “III Contest and Festival Guitar without Borders 2005, Chihuahua”, Mexico, April 11th- 15th, 2005.

25. FIRST PLACE, in the “First International Festival and National Guitar Contest Sonora 2004”, carried out in Hermosillo; Sonora, Mexico. 25 to October 27 2004.

26. THIRD PLACE, in the “7th. International Festival and National Guitar Contest Taxco” from the 12 to July 16, 2004. Taxco, Mexico.

27. FIRST PLACE, in the “National Contest of Guitar Interpreters Paracho 2003”, August 11th- 16th 2003, Paracho, Mexico.2009.

Raphaella Smits plays worldwide in her unique way on eight-string guitars and historical instruments. She has been praised as ‘an uncommonly musical guitarist’ (Tim Page, New York Times), ‘Une Grande Musicienne’ and ‘one of the most sensitive and cultured performers of our time’ (Jean Bernard, Diapason, FR).
In 2019, she received a unique award “Por su aporte a la Guitarra y la Cultura” in Argentina at the Festival Guitarras del Mundo.

In addition to stage-work, Raphaella Smits has realized 25 albums, many of which are listed as indispensable to refined music lovers. To this day, she continues to produce new, valuable recordings.

Raphaella Smits is widely acclaimed as an inspiring pedagogue for both guitar and chamber music. She taught at the Lemmens Institute / LUCA School of Arts in Leuven, Belgium, from 1986 to 2022. Now, she continues to give regular masterclasses in Europe, in North and South America, and in Japan.

Organizers of international music competitions request Raphaella as a member or as president of the jury because of her exceptional and unbiased judgment and her empathetic afterthoughts with the candidates.

Raphaella studied classical music at the Royal Conservatories of Antwerp and Brussels. Simultaneously she went to José Tomàs to perfect her playing at the “Catedra Andrès Segovia” in Spain. At that time she already gave her first concerts and became a convincing advocate for the eight-string guitar.

In 1986 Raphaella Smits was the first woman to win the first prize of the “XX Certamen Internacional de Guitarra Francisco Tarrega”, the famous international guitar competition in Benicasim, Spain. That victory confirmed the progression of a successfully started career, after previous prizes in competitions in Granada and Palma de Mallorca.
The jury presidents, Segovia and Narciso Yepes, both expressed their admiration for Raphaella’s musicality and prophetically espressed confidence in her future achievements.

Aitor is a natural guitarist from Barcelona who has a warm sound and subtle expressiveness as his hallmark. Thanks to his way of interpreting music, he manages to keep the listener surrounded by the environment full of timbres and colors. These interpretive nuances come largely from the tradition of the Catalan school of guitar, as among his teachers we can find Àlex Garrobé and Guillem-Pérez Quer.

Aitor has received advice from important guitar soloists such as: Zoran Dukic, Margarita Escarpa, Pavel Steidl, Ricardo Gallén, Aniello Desiderio, among others.

He was invited to develop his soloist work at emblematic places in Barcelona, such as Teatrino del Liceu, el Auditori, el Palau Güell or el Recinto Modernista de la Torre de las Aguas de Barcelona, also in this city. He has participated in international festivals such as the Hersbruck Guitar Festival in Germany, the Vasaros Klavisas muzikiniai pokalbiai or the Kretingale Muzikinis Festivalis in Lithuania. In 2019 he made his debut in China, performing recitals in the city of Beijing.

Apart from all of the above he carries out important educational work, both nationally and internationally. On the one hand he is a member of the teaching staff of the Escola Municipal de Castellar del Vallés, as well as the Chamber Music Summer Course at Castellar de´n Hug, where he has been giving classes since 2014. As for his international teaching work, he has participated in the Masterclasses for students from the Xi’aN and Beijing conservatories in China. He is usually invited to form part of the jury at different international competitions for young performers.

In March 2022, he recorded his first album entitled “Homenajes” under the JSM Records record label in which the Guitarlift brand collaborated on the project.