Luis González Garrido
“I was able to observe that he possesses extraordinary aptitudes in terms of quality of sound, capacity for expression, interpretative contribution and high technical level…” Carmen Verdú, composer and music theorist.
“Her interpretations have always been marked by great artistic quality, and her excellent contact with the public has led us to invite her on several occasions.” Laurent Bureau, founder and president of Jeunes Talents (France).
“He's a refined musician, a good listener, always on the lookout for the right musical expression…” Caroline Esposito, pianist and professor at the CNSMDP and CRR de Versailles (France).
Saxophonist Luis González Garrido is a sensitive, energetic and expressive musician. The complicity he establishes with his colleagues on stage means that the audience particularly savors the musical moment. Resident in Paris, but originally from Utrera (Spain), Luis takes care of every note, as well as the conception of his programs, taking an interest in all styles of music, which explains his commitment to the contemporary creation of works by composers such as Félix Ibarrondo, Carmen Verdú and Orlando Bass; his passion for transcription, which enables him to bring to his instrument an extraordinary repertoire of composers and styles unknown to the saxophone; and his foray into flamenco from an early age, playing with numerous artists from his native land, including a few appearances in companies such as those of David Coria and David Lagos.
Highlights of the 2023-2024 season include a major debut at Barcelona's Palau de la Música Catalana on September 30, an invitation to give a recital at the XIXth World Saxophone Congress in Gran Canaria on December 9, and on March 3, coinciding with his birthday, a solo performance with the municipal wind orchestra of Amorebieta-Etxano (Spanish Basque Country), conducted by maestro Aritz Labrador.
His lively spirit leads him to create new projects and programs, always open to new proposals. In this new season, Luis will present his new project with accordionist Pavel Efremov (Moldavia) in France and Germany; in December 2023, he will present a Carta Blanca for the Colegio de España in Paris, in which he has invited leading musicians of the new generations, forming a trio with Joë Christophe (clarinet) and Nadja Dornik (harp), and playing a sonata with Orlando Bass (piano); and he will premiere a work commissioned from José del Valle for solo alto saxophone.
Last season was a very fruitful one in terms of competitions, with him winning first prize for musical interpretation at INAEM and the Collège d'Espagne in Paris, as well as first prize at the IIIrd Gran Canaria International Saxophone Competition. These successes enabled him to record his first compact disc and to return to the IVth Gran Canaria International Saxophone Competition to give a prize-winning recital. He has won a multitude of prizes since his youth, taking 9 first prizes.
In recent years, he has expanded his activities across Spain and France, reaching out to neighboring countries such as Italy and Belgium. His various projects have taken him to venues such as the Palau de la Música Catalana in Barcelona, the Petit Palais (Musée des Beaux-Arts) in Paris and the Centre Pompidou in Paris, as well as festivals such as the Alpen Classica Festival (Italy), the Gala Fest in Córdoba (Spain) and the Festival Européen Jeunes Talents (France).
He studied saxophone, chamber music and musicology at conservatories such as Musikene (Spain), the CNSMD in Paris (France) and the Conservatoire Royal de Bruxelles (Belgium). After completing his studies, his desire to continue developing as an artist led him to train in music writing and jazz saxophone in Paris.
Photo credit: Aurélien Lam Tranchet