Hear the lyrical, rhythmic and sensual music of Central and South American composers on the classical guitar.

23 MP3 Songs
CLASSICAL: Traditional, LATIN: General



Details:
FRANCISCO ROLDÁN
CLASSICAL GUITARIST
roldfran@hotmail.com

It is my pleasure, and an honor, to be one of the first to record Raphael (Bullumba) Landestoy's music for guitar. I had the privilege of receiving, from him, a score of his music before I had ever heard it. No one had played all of his pieces before. I took it home and realized, as I read through it, that each piece was more beautiful than the last. I knew immediately that his music would be a major contribution to the literature for this instrument. He has also written music for the piano, and many songs. Antonio Lauro needs no introduction to the guitar public. He has written some of the most memorable and popular pieces for the guitar. Some of these are amongst the works on this recording. He has also written for piano, orchestra, strings, etc., including a guitar concerto. Agustin Barrios Mangoré is another giant in the guitar world. His inestimable works are a constant inspiration to all of us. He wrote over 300 pieces for the guitar. I have recorded only two, but hope to return to the treasure that is his music in future recordings.
Finally, I started composing for the guitar last year (2002). I am planning a series of Canons and Inventions, and these are the first fruits of that endeavor. I hope you will enjoy them.

BIOGRAPHY

Mr. Roldán has performed throughout the United States at Merkin Concert Hall, Alice Tully Hall and CAMI Hall in New York, Harmony Hall in Maryland, St. Paul's Episcopal Church in Milwaukee, for the Philadelphia Guitar Society, the New Jersey Chamber Music Society, the Puffin Gallery, the Colombian Consulates in New York and in Boston, the Smithsonian Library in Washington, D.C., the Museum of the City of New York, Round Top Music Festival, the Spanish Institute, Gracie Mansion, the Americas Society, and various universities and libraries. This year his itinerary also included the Grace Rainey Rogers Auditorium at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in NYC. He has also played in Bogotá, Colombia and in Buenos Aires, Argentina. During the summer of 2006 Mr. Roldán played a recital in Bogotá at the Fernando Sor School of Music and was immediately invited back to teach in their annual Guitar Festival in November, 2006, and to perform another recital. He has played various concerti and has participated in numerous chamber music recitals with choruses, singers and instrumentalists. He has accompanied acclaimed flamenco dancer Pilar Rioja at the Repertorio Español theatre in NYC for the past 8 seasons. In 1999 he was invited to perform Rodrigo's Concierto de Aranjuez in two performances with the Celebrate! orchestra under the direction of Laurine Fox and was received with much public and critical acclaim. In the 2000 season he played a solo recital at Weill Hall, Carnegie Hall under the auspices of the Aranjuez Guitar Strings Series. In 1996 Mr. Roldán was invited to play a recital at the United Nations for the Colombian Consulate Independence Day Celebration. This year he released his second CD titled Almost All Bach in which he interprets the music of Bach and Scarlatti. His first CD of solo music, titled Latin Guitar (in which he interprets the music of Barrios, Lauro, and which contains the World Premiere recording of the Dominican composer Rafael Landestoy's complete works for guitar), was released in 2003. They can both be heard and purchased at cdbaby.com.

Colombian-born guitarist Francisco Roldán has been entertaining audiences since his early years at the Mannes College of Music. He received annual scholarships and attained the Master's Degree in Performance from the Mannes College of Music. Mr. Roldán subsequently supplemented his studies by playing in master classes for Manuel Barrueco, Sharon Isbin, David Russell, and Paul Odette. In the spring of 1993 he gave a solo New York debut recital at the Weill Recital Hall, Carnegie Hall that launched his career as a soloist.

Francisco Roldán is currently on the faculty of the Mannes College of Music Extension and Preparatory Divisions and at Lehman College, City University of New York.

REVIEWS

Francisco Roldán interpreted the Aranjuez with a maximum display of technique and security...showing exquisiteness and dominion. La Voz Hispana


Mr. Roldán gave a performance of the Krenek Suite as good as I have ever heard...his Invocación y la danza was played with technical dominion... Soundboard


"Mr. Roldán is a virtuoso and interprets the music with a magical tone..." Noticias del Mundo


"Mr. Roldán is clearly a virtuoso and an asset to the Colombian community..." Noticiero Colombiano e Hispano