The Competition
Rafael Aguirre
Rafael Aguirre, 27, is an award-winning Spanish guitarist. His 13 first-prize wins at the world's most prestigious international competitions give him the Spanish record for the most wins and highlight the praise of international audiences and critics. Having performed in 18 countries, his recent highlights include Carnegie Hall in New York City, Tchaikovsky Hall in Moscow, Glinka Hall in St. Petersburg, and Palau de la Música in Valencia. Composers such as Daniel Real, Agustín Castilla-Ávila, and two-time Grammy Award winner Sérgio Assad have dedicated pieces to Aguirre. An associate professor at the Robert Schumann Hochschule in Düsseldorf, Germany, he has collaborated with orchestras including the Baden-Baden Philharmonic, Malaga Philharmonic, Extremadura Symphony Orchestra, Neue Philharmonie Westfalen, and Syrian National Orchestra. Aguirre is currently studying with Michael Lewin at the Royal Academy of Music in London.
