Classical guitar in Cuba

The guitar (in the form of its direct ancestor, the “vihuela”) was the first instrument that was heard in Cuba after the conch horns, flutes and drums that the original aborigines used to play; as it was documented by Spanish chroniclers such as Bernal Díaz del Castillo.

[2] Founded by renowned professors such as Clara Romero, Isaac Nicola, Clara (Cuqui) Nicola, Carlos Molina, and Marta Cuervo Riverón, the Cuban guitar school has acquired an excellent international reputation since the 20th century, represented by important instrumentalists and composers such as Leo Brouwer, Carlos Molina, José Rey de la Torre, Juan Antonio Mercadal and Joaquín Clerch, among many others.

[4] During the 17th century, Serafín Ramirez mentions a guitarist named Juan Navarro; and in 1722 we find small groups of guitars and “bandolas” in Santa Clara to entertain the population.

He studied guitar in Cuba with Juan Martín Sabio and Pascual Roch, and in Spain with renowned Catalan guitarist Miguel Llobet.

[11] Clara Romero (1888–1951), founder of the modern Cuban School of Guitar, studied in Spain with Nicolás Prats and in Cuba with Félix Guerrero.

[12] After studying with his mother, Clara Romero, at the Havana Municipal Conservatory, Isaac Nicola (1916–1997) continued his training in Paris with Emilio Pujol, a disciple of Francisco Tárrega.

[13] After returning to Cuba, Nicola engages on a period of performing activity which concludes in 1957, with a concert where he premiered the famous Danza Característica by Leo Brouwer.

[19] The Cuban guitarist Elías Barreiro, established in the United States since 1966, has developed an important career as a performer and professor at Tulane University, New Orleans.

Among many artists related to the Cuban Guitar School, we can mention the following names: Carlos Molina (guitarist), Sergio Vitier, Efraín Amador Piñero and Flores Chaviano, as well as: Armando Rodriguez Ruidiaz, Martín Pedreira, Lester Carrodeguas, Mario Daly, José Angel Pérez Puentes and Teresa Madiedo.

A younger group may include guitarists:Rey Guerra, Félix Puig, José Armando Guzmán, Aldo Rodríguez Delgado, Alejandro González, Pedro Cañas, Leyda Lombard, Eduardo Martín, Walfrido Domínguez, Esteban Campusano, Francisco Rodriguez, Jorge Luis Zamora, Manuel Espinás, Alfredo Panebianco, Carlos Alberto Lloró, Jorge Luis Garcell, Alexis Méndez, Rubén González, Freddy Pérez, Rosa Matos, Iliana Matos, Rafael Padrón, Amed Dickinson, Marco Tamayo, Ernesto Tamayo, Rene Izquierdo, Miguel Bonachea, Edel Muñoz,[21] Gerardo Perez Capdevila, Joaquín Clerch[4][16][19] Yalil Guerra and Alí Arango.

A list of composers may include:Carlos Fariñas, Jesús Ortega, Nilo Rodríguez, Flores Chaviano, Efraín Amador Piñero, Armando Rodriguez Ruidiaz, José Angel Pérez Puentes, Martín Pedreira, Julio Roloff[4][19] and Yalil Guerra.