José Luis de la Paz at Flamenco Arts Festival 2023

“The Flamenco Arts Festival” of Santa Barbara returns to tradition with live programming featuring guitarist and composer José Luis de la Paz for an evening of music and original compositions.

The Flamenco Arts Festival coincides with National Hispanic Heritage Month and presents world-class flamenco performances and educational arts programs. It is an annual event that brings a prominent flamenco company from Spain to Santa Barbara. Every year, the visiting guest artists perform, teach, lecture, interact with participants, and represent Spain. Festivities include live concerts, lectures, films and documentaries, award presentations, dance and music workshops.

About José Luis de la Paz

José Luis de la Paz, the prized pupil of legendary Mario Escudero, is an award-winning Spanish guitarist, recognized in all disciplines of the flamenco arts as a performing artist and composer and whose original compositions range from the most traditional to experimental forms of flamenco, exploring fusion with world music and a touch of jazz. While his practice is rooted in the traditional flamenco, his work goes far beyond the flamenco parameters as seen in one of his latest collaborations with the composer Colin Farish on his work East of the Evening Star.

He was the musical director and composer for Ballet Cristina Hoyos (the star of Carlos Saura’s films) for ten years. He has worked with Siudy Garrido, José Mercé, Concha Buika, Belén Maya, Farruquito, Antonio Canales, Des Moines Symphony Orchestra and Los Angeles Philharmonic.

He is currently the musical director and collaborator for the Siudy Garrido Dance Company. In 2015, he collaborated with the LA Philharmonic and Maestro Gustavo Dudamel, under the artistic direction of Siudy Garrido Company, in El Amor Brujo. That same year, he debuted his first symphonic work, Suite for Flamenco Guitar and Orchestra, in collaboration with Alex Conde (arrangements) and Berto Boyd (guitar transcriptions). In 2020, he composed the music for Olé-Olá, the flamenco musical created by Cristina Hoyos, currently playing at the Teatro Eslava in Madrid.