pasion never dies, it grows

Considered one of the major specialists in Medieval Plucked String Instruments, José Luis Pastor is Superior Professor of Classic Guitar from the Superior Music Conservatory “Manuel Castillo”, in Seville, Spain. He was awarded with the ‘End Degree Prix’ in lute and vihuela, for his musical and academic achievements. Interested in Ancient and Medieval Music, he has undertaken studies in Spain, France and Italy with high-qualified professors such as Kees Boeke, Jill Feldman, Hopkinson Smith, Patricia Bovi, Andrea Damiáni, Marcos Volonterio, Francisco Orozco, Juan Carlos Rivera, Mª Carmen Gómez Muntané, etc.

He has participated as a string performer in Medieval Music festivals all over the Spanish geography (Madrid, Barcelona, Sevilla, Gijón, Cataluña (“Musica als Castells”) Granada, Toledo, Alarcos (Ciudad Real), San Sebastián, Huelva, Murcia, Córdoba, Huesca, Úbeda y Baeza, Aracena, etc.), United Kingdom (London), Bosnia-Hertzegovina (Winter Festival of Sarajevo), Francia (París e Istres -Marsella-), Italia (Florence, Lombardía, Cremona, Mántova, Crema -“Il canto delle pietre”-), Portugal (Islas Açores, Lisboa, Lagos, Portimao, Faro, Tavira, Albufeira, etc.), Argentina (Buenos Aires, San Miguel and Rosario), and Marruecos (Tánger y Casablanca).

At present, he is carrying out an intense investigation of medieval string instruments and is the owner of six such specimens (spanish lute from the XIII century, italian lute from the XIV-XV century, cítole, guiterne (medieval guitar), plectrum’s vihuela and fret’s hurdy gurdy). He has developed programmes and radio-recordings for RNE, he offers illustrated concert-conferences: “Moreno-Torroba” and “Arturo Soria” conservatories (Madrid), Manuel de Falla (Buenos Aires) Pro-Música (Rosario) and Alberto Ginastera (Morón) conservatories (Argentina), Medieval Music Festival of Aracena (Huelva), Beja conservatory -Portugal-, Meeting of the Spanish Society of Vihuela (Córdoba), and he has published articles in journals, such as the specialized journal Orphenica Lyra, from the Spanish Society of Vihuela, of which he is a founder member.

He has participated in nine different recordings and at present he leads the music group Axabeba. He has combined his concerts with teaching activity in the musical teaching centre “Aula Ian Murray” (Aracena – Huelva – España), “Manuel Castillo” Superior conservatory and “Cristóbal de Morales” Professional conservatory (Sevilla). He is currently the manager (Director) of the “Manuel Rojas” conservatory from Nerva (Huelva), in which he holds a stable position as a Guitar Professor. From 2014, he is Artistic Director of the Early Music Festival “Castillo de Aracena).

DISTINCTIONS
2012. Premio Onubenses del Año, como director del Conservatorio Manuel Rojas.
2013. Torre de Nerva, como director del Conservatorio Manuel Rojas.
2014. El Ayuntamiento de Nerva le concede a título personal, su máxima distinción, La Torre de Nerva.
2015. Nominado por los lectores de Huelva Información, para los premios Onubenses de Año (apartado de Cultura)
2019. Medalla de la Ciudad de Aracena, en el ámbito de las Artes y la Cultura