GUITAR DUO MANZANO-GARCIA Josep Manzano from Catalonia and Carlos Garcia-Benitez from England formed the guitar duo, Manzano-Garcia, in 2009. Both artists have long established careers as soloists and teachers of the guitar. Their first concerts together were in the Gerona area where they took part in the Sant Pere Pescador Music Festival and performed a series of concerts on the Costa Brava including Llança, Castelló de Empúries and Portbou. In the summer of 2010 the duo performed concerts for the Gerona Guitar Festival in Catalonia. These were followed by a tour of five concerts in Lima, Peru and concerts in Naples, Italy. In 2011 the duo opened the season with this program in Dresden, Germany and Burgos, Spain. The success of these tours and the resulting public demand has led to the recording of this CD illustrating the diverse repertoire offered at these performances during 2010 and 2011. This high definition recording presents music written over the last five centuries beginning with sixteenth century works and progressing through to twentieth century tonal repertoire. The majority of these works are arrangements for two guitars by Carlos Garcia- Benitez, and are indicated as such by an asterisk. Repertory Le Rossignol Anonim Pavan: The Earle of Salisbury William Byrd 1543-1623 Sir John Langton His Pavin John Dowland 1563-1626 Lacrimae Pavan John Dowland Fantasia John Dowland Pastorale Kp.9 Domenico Scarlatti 1685-1757 Sonata Si men (Tr. Re men) Kp.87 Domenico Scarlatti Sonata en Mi (Tr. Fa) Kp.380. Domenico Scarlatti Sonata en Re Maj Christian G.Scheidler 1752-1815 Melancolie Op.34 Josep Ferrer 1835-1916 Sérénade Espagnole Op.34 Josep Ferrer Bolero Josep Ferrer Danza Española No.2 Enrique Granados 1867-1916 Danza Española No.6 Enrique Granados 1867-1916 La Vida Breve Manuel de Falla 1876-1946 El Puerto (de la Suite Iberia) Isaac Albèniz 1860-1909 Córdoba Isaac Albèniz 1860-1909 Divertimento Andrés Segovia 1893-1987 Cavatina Stanley Myers 1930-1993 Links videos: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dPMq00DjFII http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EFnIlmE8uQo&feature=related http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lmZrvxF4zpI JOSEP MANZANO Born in Girona, he was initially self-taught on the guitar. He later studied with Luis Neras in Girona and Manuel Gonzalez in Barcelona where he obtained the Superior Title at the Liceo Conservatory of Music in Barcelona. Along with this he has also attended several courses on musical performance, particularly those with David Russell. He has performed numerous concerts and recordings for radio and television, as a soloist but also as part of a chamber group or larger instrumental ensembles. In addition to his performances throughout Catalonia and the Spanish State, has been invited to participate in various music and guitar festivals in countries like Mexico, Argentina, Perú, Italy, France, Germany, England, Bulgaria, Switzerland and Serbia, to give concerts and master classes or to be a member of a jury in competitions. Since the year 2000 he has played regularly with the flamenco guitarist Xavier Ballesteros, with whom he recorded a CD in 2004 of works by Albeniz, Granados and de Falla. Since the year 1998, he has been a member of the Dinosaurios, a poetry-music group, with whom he produced and edited a CD in 2005. He has toured with the Bulgarian flautist, Nicolai Yordanov. He recently worked with the flautist, Esteve Zulet, and the Joan Sadurní trio, playing the suites of Claude Bolling. More recently, in 2009, he has formed a new partnership with the English guitarist Carlos Garcia-Benitez with whom he has performed a number of guitar duo concerts in the last years. A CD of guitar duets with Carlos Garcia-Benitez have been released in early 2010. As a soloist he has recorded two CDs: "Tarrega and his legacy" (2002) with works by Francisco Tarrega, Emilio Pujol and Miguel Llobet, "Tarrega: The 35 Preludes and Studies" and “Melancolie-Guitarists composers from Girona”. He is guitar teacher at the Gironés School of Music and the Music Academy, Compte, in Girona, where he developed a wide teaching base. He is also founder of the Girona-Costa Brava Guitar Festival. CARLOS GARCIA BENITEZ Carlos studied the Classical Guitar in London with Oliver Hunt at the Royal College of Music, Charles Ramirez, Carlos Bonell and Tom Kerstens, then with Eduardo Sainz de la Maza in Barcelona. He also has participated in Master Classes with Charles Ramirez, Carlos Bonell, Simon Dinnigan and Manuel Barrueco. Carlos taught Guitar for the London Education Authority for 25 Years, including a special task force for the renowned CYM. Carlos has given concerts for many years in the U.K, France and Spain. Carlos is also a professional Painter and Photographer and now permanently resides in Catalonia, Spain. .