ANDALUSIAN GUITAR QUARTET (Spain)

Soloists:
Francisco Bernier, guitar
Antonio Duro, guitar
Javier Riba, guitar
Marco Socias, guitar

Programme:
Manuel de Falla (1876–1946), Cuatro piezas españolas
Rodolfo Halffter (1900–1987), Don Lindo de Almería, ballet suite, Op. 7
Ernesto Lecuona (1896–1963), Andalucía
Manuel de Falla (1876–1946), El Sombrero de tres picos, Suite No. 1
I. Danza de los vecinos
II. Danza del molinero

On the occasion of the 150th anniversary of the birth of Manuel de Falla, one of the most prominent spanish ensembles, the Andalusian Guitar Quartet, presents a tribute programme dedicated to the composer from Cádiz and to his profound influence on twentieth-century Spanish music.

Founded in 2019 by the Sevillian guitarist Francisco Bernier together with Antonio Duro, Javier Riba and David Martínez, the ensemble brings together distinguished concert artists and pedagogues with an extensive international presence. The quartet made its debut the same year at Seville’s Cartuja Center with a performance of Joaquín Rodrigo’s Concierto Andaluz as part of the tenth anniversary celebrations of the Seville Guitar Festival. In 2025, the ensemble entered a new artistic chapter with the addition of the acclaimed guitarist Marco Socías, whose arrival further enriched the quartet’s interpretative breadth and sonic identity. At the heart of the ensemble’s repertoire lies Spanish music and works shaped by the broader legacy of Spanish musical culture. The quartet performs specially commissioned arrangements of works by composers such as Isaac Albéniz, Rodolfo Halffter, Manuel de Falla, Ernesto Lecuona and Domenico Scarlatti, exploring the rich colouristic and rhythmic possibilities of the guitar quartet medium. Among the ensemble’s most notable original arrangements is the Suite from the ballet Don Lindo de Almería by Rodolfo Halffter, premiered in May 2024 at the Antonio Gala Foundation in Córdoba. Contemporary creation also forms an essential part of the quartet’s artistic profile. Numerous Spanish composers have written new works for the ensemble, among them David del Puerto, whose Cuerdas del viento for soprano and guitar quartet, based on poems by García Lorca, was premiered and recorded by the ensemble together with soprano Sachika Ito, and César Camarero, who dedicated his work Transparente / vacío / ciego / alado to the quartet. The ensemble has also cultivated close artistic ties with leading flamenco musicians, notably the virtuoso Juan Manuel Cañizares in performances of his Concierto Mozárabe.

Francisco Bernier is widely regarded as one of the foremost Spanish guitarists of his generation. He gained international distinction at an early stage of his career as the first — and still the only — Spanish guitarist to win the prestigious Michele Pittaluga International Guitar Competition in Alessandria, Italy. Since then, he has performed in more than five hundred concerts across forty-five countries throughout Europe, the Americas, Africa and Asia, appearing in distinguished venues including the Théâtre Mogador in Paris, Tokyo’s Oji Hall, Kyoto Concert Hall, the Hermitage Museum in Saint Petersburg, the Teatro de la Maestranza in Seville and Merkin Hall in New York. His artistic achievements have earned him more than twenty international prizes, and he was also a finalist of the Concert Artists Guild competition in New York. He holds a doctorate from the Fryderyk Chopin University of Music in Warsaw and was recently appointed a member of the Royal Academy of Fine Arts Santa Isabel de Hungría in Seville. Alongside his concert career, Bernier is actively engaged in teaching and artistic leadership. He serves as Professor of Guitar at the Manuel Castillo Higher Conservatory of Music in Seville, Artistic Director of the Seville Guitar Festival, and founder of the record label Contrastes Records. He is also the creator and Executive Director of the Master’s Degree Programme in Guitar at the Pablo de Olavide University in Seville.

Antonio Duro is an established Spanish guitarist whose artistry has been praised by critics for its “”extraordinary musical means, exquisite sensitivity, culturally profound and technically irreproachable vision” (Scherzo Magazine). He received his musical training in Córdoba and Seville and later refined his artistic vision under the guidance of some of the leading figures of the contemporary guitar world, among them Leo Brouwer, Alberto Ponce, Manuel Barrueco and, most notably, David Russell. He graduated with highest honours and has received numerous awards at international competitions in Spain, France and Germany. As both soloist and chamber musician, Duro has collaborated with orchestras including the National Orchestra of Ukraine, the Bratislava Symphony Orchestra, the National Orchestra of Spain and the Seville Symphony Orchestra. He performs regularly at major international festivals and concert venues throughout Europe, the Americas, Africa and Asia. His artistic activity also encompasses recordings for Spanish radio and television, as well as a wide range of interdisciplinary collaborations spanning theatre, film, dance and flamenco. Alongside his concert career, he serves as Professor of Guitar at the Manuel Castillo Conservatory in Seville.

Javier Riba was awarded the Andrés Segovia Medal in recognition of his artistic achievements by the foundation bearing the name of the legendary Andalusian guitarist Andrés Segovia. A distinctive aspect of his artistic profile is his engagement with historical instruments: in recital he frequently performs on original guitars by celebrated makers such as Antonio de Torres and Vicente Arias. Equally central to his work is the revival of neglected Spanish repertoire, including music by Jaume Pahissa, Rodolfo Halffter and Eduardo Sainz de la Maza. He also attracted international acclaim with the recording Isaac Albéniz, la guitarra soñada, devoted to his transcriptions of Albéniz’s piano music for guitar. As a soloist, Riba has given the premieres of numerous works for guitar and orchestra written for him by composers such as Angelo Gilardino, David del Puerto and Juan de Dios García Aguilera. Gilardino described his artistry as combining “an extraordinarily beautiful and evocative sound” with a refined sense of phrasing capable of revealing the full expressive depth of the musical text. Javier Riba is Professor of Guitar at the Rafael Orozco Higher Conservatory of Music in Córdoba, where he combines teaching with an active career as performer, researcher and composer.

Marco Socías is regarded as one of the leading Spanish guitarists of his generation and has developed a distinguished international career as both performer and pedagogue. Following studies with renowned guitar masters including José Tomás, David Russell and Hubert Käppel, he established himself through successes at international competitions and an active concert career throughout Europe, the Americas and Asia. As a soloist, he has appeared in prestigious venues such as Amsterdam’s Concertgebouw and the Berlin Philharmonie, collaborating with conductors including Sir Neville Marriner and Josep Pons. He has also performed with orchestras such as the Berlin Radio Symphony Orchestra and the Rotterdam Philharmonic Orchestra. His artistic profile is further reflected in an extensive discography released by labels including EMI, Harmonia Mundi and Deutsche Grammophon. Critics have consistently praised the refinement of his sound, the maturity of his interpretations and his exceptional ability to communicate with audiences. Based in Málaga, Marco Socías currently serves as Professor of Guitar at Musikene in San Sebastián, where he combines an active teaching career with an intensive international performing schedule.

Complimentary tickets can be collected an hour before the concert at the venue. Reservations are not possible, spaces are limited.

In collaboration with: