Luis Zea

The Venezuelan guitarist Luis Zea studied in Caracas with Leopoldo Igarza, and the legendary Venezuelan composer and guitarist Antonio Lauro (1917-1986). He also studied with the great Venezuelan master Alirio Díaz.

In London he made further guitar studies with the English teacher and composer John Duarte and completed his musical education at King's College (University of London), where he obtained his Bachelor of Music Degree (1980) and the Certificate of Advanced Musical Studies (1981). He also received a Master of Music Degree from the University of Reading (1983).

Since 1976 Luis Zea has regularly given concerts and master classes in Europe, South America, and the USA, including appearances at the Wigmore Hall (London) and Alice Tully Hall (New York). For ten years (1976-86), he taught and performed at the Cannington International Guitar Summer School (Somerset, England). From 1984 to the end of 1986 he was guitar instructor at the State University of New York.

He has also been invited as soloist and jury member of various international festivals and competitions including the XXXIII Concorso Internazionale di Chitarra Classica "Citta di Alessandria" (Italy, 1990), The Havana Festival in Cuba (1992) and the Classical Guitar Festival of Great Britain (1991, 1997).

In 1983 he recorded his first album at Abbey Road Studios in London and most recently he completed a CD with music by Dowland, Gianoncelli, Holborne, Bach, Mangoré, Riera, Castellanos, and himself.

The Venezuelan guitarist Luis Zea studied in Caracas with Leopoldo Igarza, and the legendary Venezuelan composer and guitarist Antonio Lauro (1917-1986). He also studied with the great Venezuelan master Alirio Díaz.

In London he made further guitar studies with the English teacher and composer John Duarte and completed his musical education at King's College (University of London), where he obtained his Bachelor of Music Degree (1980) and the Certificate of Advanced Musical Studies (1981). He also received a Master of Music Degree from the University of Reading (1983).

Since 1976 Luis Zea has regularly given concerts and master classes in Europe, South America, and the USA, including appearances at the Wigmore Hall (London) and Alice Tully Hall (New York). For ten years (1976-86), he taught and performed at the Cannington International Guitar Summer School (Somerset, England). From 1984 to the end of 1986 he was guitar instructor at the State University of New York.

He has also been invited as soloist and jury member of various international festivals and competitions including the XXXIII Concorso Internazionale di Chitarra Classica "Citta di Alessandria" (Italy, 1990), The Havana Festival in Cuba (1992) and the Classical Guitar Festival of Great Britain (1991, 1997).

In 1983 he recorded his first album at Abbey Road Studios in London and most recently he completed a CD with music by Dowland, Gianoncelli, Holborne, Bach, Mangoré, Riera, Castellanos, and himself.

Luis Zea is the coauthor (with John Duarte) of the book "The Guitarist's Hands," published by Universal Edition (1978) and has written numerous articles for several international guitar journals such as Classical Guitar and Guitar International.

His practice of yoga since 1976, and the contact with pianists Konrad Wolff (pupil of Artur Schnabel) and Edith Vogel, and the musicologist Hans Keller have been particularly significant in his artistic development. Also the figure of Alirio Díaz has also exerted a seminal influence on his professional career.

Since 1987 he has worked for Mavesa S.A., a leading Venezuelan private company whose Proyecto Cultural was created for the consolidation and renewal of the guitar tradition of this country.

The world famous Cuban composer Leo Brouwer recently described Luis Zea as "the ideal soloist."

Luis Zea lives in Venezuela with his family. He is active as an international concert artist and teaches in Caracas at the Instituto Universitario de Estudios Musicales (IUDEM).