BIOGRAPHY
Recognized for having rescued, commissioned, premiered and recorded world’s first recordings of works that go from the 18th century to the present day, Miguel Trápaga is currently one of the most brilliant international guitarists, highly valued for his commitment to the repertoire of his instrument and for his constant concern to present coherent programs with a musical interest.
Born in Cantabria, he studied at the conservatory of his hometown and later at the Royal Conservatory of Music of Madrid with Javier Canduela and Demetrio Ballesteros respectively, expanding his studies with various teachers such as José Tomás, David Russell and Gerardo Arriaga.
An outstanding musician from an early age, he received a scholarship from the Marcelino Botín Foundation of Santander, Juventudes Musicales of Madrid and the La Caixa Foundation of Barcelona, obtaining numerous awards in both national and international competitions, among others: Award for the Outstanding Graduate of the Year at the Conservatory Superior of Music of Madrid, 1990; Permanent Competition of Musical Youth of Spain, 1992; XVI “Andrés Segovia” International Guitar Competition, Palma de Mallorca, 1993; III Great Lakes Guitar Competition, Oberlin – Ohio (USA), 1994 and at the XII International Solo Guitar Competition (Guitar Foundation of America), Quebec, (Canada), 1994.
He has performed in broadcasts for Spanish National Radio, Antena 2 of Portugal, ABC of Australia and the BBC among others. He has seven recordings and recently recorded the “Concierto de Aranjuez” by Joaquín Rodrigo and the world recording premiere of “Concierto de Benicassim” by the cuban composer Leo Brouwer for the NAXOS label. His last recording for NAXOS is the álbum “Double Guitar Concertos” with works by three spanish composers: Antón García Abril, Javier López de Guereña and David del Puerto.
read more
Committed to contemporary music, he has premiered numerous works, some composers have dedicated works to him or he has made the world first recording of music by composers such as Federico Moreno-Torroba, Antón García Abril, Javier López de Guereña, José Manuel Fernández, Juan José Mier, Esteban Sanz Vélez, Manuel Martínez Burgos, Tomás Marco, Ananda Sukarlan, David del Puerto and Leo Brouwer among many others.
Excellent ambassador of the Spanish guitar, Trápaga has been selected on several occasions to represent Spain: EXPO (Dubai 2020), Auditorium of the Forbidden City in Beijing as Spanish representative of the Year of Spain (China, 2007), commemoration of the Reversal of the Panama Canal in the National Theater of this country (Panama, 1999).
In addition to a frequent chamber Music activity, he has toured extensively in Europe, Australia, New Zealand, Africa, Latin América, Asia, Canada and United States, in theatres like Cecilia Meireles in Rio de Janerio, Victoria Concert hall in Singapore, National Theatre in Taiwan, Musiikkitalo in Helsinki, Teresa Carreño en Caracas, Ateneu Romano in Bucarest, Auditorio Nacional Adela Reta in Montevideo, Lysenko Hall in Kiev… As a soloist, with Real Filharmonia de Galicia, Oviedo Filarmonía, Seville Symphony Orchestra, ORCAM, Madrid Symphony Orchestra, Canberra Symphony Orchestra, National Symphony Orchestra of Ukraine, National Philarmonic of Ukraine and Simon Bolívar Simphony Orchestra of Venezuela and he has been invited to participate in important International Festivals such as the International Festival of Santander, the International Festival of Granada, the “Música Sur” Festival and the “Leo Brower” Chamber Music Festival in La Habana, among others.
Currently he is a professor at the Royal Conservatory of Music of Madrid and he is regularly invited to lead master classes in Spain and abroad like Esmuc (Barcelona), Fryderyk Chopin Academy in Warsaw, Massey University in Wellington (New Zealand), Sibelius Academy in Helsinki or Melbourne University
