November 6, 2009
Friday 10:00pm
Detail:
Jonathan "Juanito" Pascual is widely regarded as one of the top young flamenco guitarists in the international music scene. Born in Minneapolis, MN (USA) on July 26, 1973 Pascual has become a new voice in this most Spanish of musical genres. His signature virtuosity, and warm, evocative playing, along with his original compositional style, have won him praise and admiration around the globe. Recognized in Spain as a creative voice, his frequent collaborations with Spanish artists include recent performances in Madrid's renowned Casa Patas with well-known flamenco singer/dancer Elena Andújar and members of the Maria Pagés Dance Company, plus forthcoming recording projects with pianist Alex Conde Carrasco, and flamenco singer "El Pola".
Juanito's original music has touched audiences and musicians from across the musical spectrum. He has performed with Grammy-winning artists including soprano Dawn Upshaw, jazz pianists Michel Camilo, and Danilo Perez, bassist John Patitucci, renowned Middle-Eastern musician Omar Faruk Takbilek, and Israeli cantor Emil Zrihan. He has worked with a long list of top flamenco musicians and dancers from Spain and the U.S. including Isaac and Nino de los Reyes, Raquel Heredia, Omayra Amaya, Ramon de los Reyes, Jose Greco II, Sara Erde, Clara Ramona, La Conja, Carlota Santana, La Repompa de Málaga, Inés Arrubla, Susana di Palma, Chuscales, Pedro Cortes, Roberto Catellón and Caminos Flamencos. Since 2005, Juanito has been the director of the annual summer Flamenco Institute at the New England Conservatory in Boston.
Juanito has been a featured artist in some of the best-known venues and festivals in the United States and abroad, including the Tanglewood Jazz Festival, New York's 92nd St. Y, the Blue Note Jazz Club, Boston's Jordan Hall and Regattabar, Panama Jazz Festival, and Mexico City's Eurojazz Festival, in addition to colleges and performing arts centers. He has been featured on National Public Radio's "The World" program, among many other television and radio appearances. Juanito recently made his on-screen debut with an appearance along side Steve Martin and Andy Garcia in the 2009 release "Pink Panther 2."
He holds a Bachelor of Music degree in Contemporary Improvisation from New England Conservatory where he graduated with honors in 1997, and was Second Prize winner in the 1996 New England Classical guitar Competition.
Juanito first picked up the guitar at age eleven discovering flamenco music at age fifteen. His first flamenco teacher Mateo Davies, encouraged him to travel to Spain the following year where he was immersed in the flamenco culture, studying with teachers including Adam del Monte, Parilla de Jerez, Manolo Sanlucar, and El Entri. While at NEC Juanito’s teachers included classical guitarists David Leisner and Eliot Fisk and jazz guitarist Gene Bertoncini. Most recently, he has been mentored by the Boston-based maestro Dimitri Goryachev.
Energized by a driving passion to share the beauty, and soul-stirring power of this ancient yet most vibrant and evolving musical style, Juanito brings the energy of hope and joy through his performances, recordings, and teaching. In 2003 Juanito completed his first CD "Cosas en Común" of all original flamenco compositions. The work has received critical acclaim and frequent radio play in the US. and abroad. Juanito collaborated on the Grammy-winning chamber opera Ainadamar by Osvoldo Golijov, which had its debut at Tanglewood in
2003 and featured soprano Dawn Upshaw. Juanito relased his second solo CD "Language of the Heart" in June ('09) and is completing a flamenco guitar method book due out in early 2010
