Adam del Monte, One of the leading flamenco and classical guitarist/composers of his generation, Adam del Monte has made it his life mission to fully express himself in these two genres, transcending labeling and convention. Always having incorporated a wide array of musical styles in his compositions, Del Monte and has embarked on a journey creating a unique sound and language of flamenco that is both steeped in tradition and progressive in its openness to musical flavors from around the world.
Del Monte has recorded for Deutsche Gramophone – the featured flamenco guitar part in the double Grammy award winning opera Ainadamar by Osvaldo Golijov (2006), with soprano Dawn Upshaw and the Atlanta Symphony, conducted by Robert Spano. Since then he has toured this opera in, Carnegie Hall, NY, Lincoln Center, NY, Barbican Center, London, Colorado Music Festival in Boulder, Chicago Symphony and many more.
Del Monte has recently composed a first of its kind Flamenco Opera. Llantos 1492, is an opera that is a full integration of the flamenco and classical/operatic world in all aspects, including orchestral, aesthetic, stylistic and rhythmic. Scenes from Llantos was performed as a pre-debut at the piano, guitar and reduced cast of singers as part of the Tucson Desert Song Festival at the University of Arizona, on January 30th, 2019.
In 2019 representing the USA and with the generous sponsorship of The US embassy, del Monte was a featured soloist and with his Duo Deloro partner, Slovenian guitarist Mak Grgic, of the Eurostrings International Guitar Festivals in Szeged, Hungary and Sarajevo, Bosnia. He also has collaborated with Persian Singing legend Homayoun Shajarian and the Pacific Symphony with maestro Carl St. Claire.
Del Monte has composed his second flamenco guitar concerto, Paisajes, which was debuted and commissioned by the St. Monica Symphony. He has since performed it with the Moscow State Symphony in Tchaikovsky Hall and the Simon Bolivar Symphony Orchestra, in Caracas, Venezuela. He has also recorded Avner’s Theme by film composer John Williams for the sound track CD of the motion picture Munich by Steven Spielberg. Other film credits include featured participations in Films such as Knight and Day with Tom Cruise and Cameron Diaz; Mr. and Mrs. Smith with Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie, music by John Powell and Toy Story 3, music by Randy Newman. Del Monte has also performed with flamenco singer Enrique Morente and the Madrid Symphony Orchestra, as well as with Lole y Manuel.
Del Monte was both influenced by and inspired the younger generation of flamenco performers who were beginning to depart from the previous virtual space of Spanish flamenco. Del Monte, too, set out in new directions, integrating years of traditional and leading–edge flamenco training as well as expanding his musicianship on the classical guitar. An eclectic awareness of jazz, world music and other contemporary forms led to new, creative renditions of flamenco repertoire.
He has been commissioned by the LA Guitar Quartet to compose a ‘progressive’ flamenco piece entitled Cambio de Aire. He has collaborated with Yusef Lateef and the Atlanta Symphony at the National Black Arts Festival in Atlanta GA.
His flamenco debut CD on the Spanish label Sonifolk (1998), entitled Viaje a Un Nuevo Mundo-Journey to a New World-was most favorably reviewed by Spain’s most acclaimed flamenco critic Angel Alvarez Caballero as well as Miguel Mora of El Pais an Alfredo Grimaldos of El Mundo. Other discographies include a Mel Bay Artist Video Series, a classical and flamenco recital, and a GSP classical CD entitled Ezordio.
In 1998, Adam performed in Spain on the TV program Algo mas que Flamenco with Lole Montoya. He has composed a flamenco guitar concerto Ensueño Flamenco for guitar and orchestra which he premiered in Boston with the BMOP Boston Modern Orchestra Project) in Jordan Hall, conducted by Gil Rose. In 1999 he returned to Granada to perform in the oldest Peña Flamenca, La Plateria, as well as a tour in Switzerland with singer Curro Fernandez.
In February of 2000 he performed the Concierto de Aranjuez with the LA Philharmonic. In June 2000, he performed at the Hollywood Bowl, once with his flamenco ensemble and once with the Los Angeles Philharmonic and classical Spanish dancer Lola Greco. Adam performed as soloist the Concierto de Aranjuez at Disney Hall. He has also performed the Aranjuez with the Pacific Symphony with Carl St. Claire.
In 2005 del Monte took part in the Los Angeles Philharmonic Chamber Music Series at Disney Hall, performing the Histoire du Tango by Astor Piazzolla with violinist Mark Kashper. From 2007-2012 he was a member of the Falla Guitar Trio.
Since having teamed up with Slovenian guitarist, Mak Grgic in Duo Deloro, Del Monte has performed numerous concerts in Texas, Las Vegas, Northern and Southern California and Strathmore Hall in Maryland, among several venues. The repertoire that characterizes Duo Deloro ranges from traditional Spanish Romantics, more 20th century arrangements of the likes of Alberto Ginastera, Carlos Guastavino, etc, as well as contemporary flamenco arrangements of del Monte’s compositions for two guitars. In 2008 he has performed his Flamenco Concerto and the Concierto de Aranjuez with the Ranana Symphonet, conducted by Nir Kabaretti.
First Prize Winner at the 1997 Stotsenberg International Classical Guitar Competition, Del Monte is one of the new generations dynamic force in both flamenco and classical guitar. He studied flamenco and classical guitar in Spain, Israel & England. Beginning with his father, he continued his training with such famed Gypsy performers as Pepe Habichuel”, Paco Cortez, Nino Miguel &Gerardo Nunez. His classical guitar teachers were Menashe Baquiche, Israel and Gordon Crosskey at Chethams School of Music and at the Royal Northern College of Music, Manchester, England. He has also appeared as both a solo artist and group performer in major venues such as LA’s Mark Taper Forum and the Wilshire Theater; the Teatro Real and the Conde Duque in Madrid; Manuel de Falla Auditorium in Granada; New Mexico St Francis Auditorium in Santa Fe; the International Guitar Festival in Israel, GFA in St Louis,’96, La Jolla,’97 and Charleston, 99 GFA, Guitar Festival, the 500th anniversary of Columbus celebrations in Paris and Madrid.
Adam has been on the studio guitar department faculty at USC since 2000, where he teaches flamenco and classical guitar. He has played the Concierto de Aranjuez at Disney Hall, August 2014, with the California Philharmonic, as well as with the Sunriver Festival Orchestra with conductor George Hanson in 2016. Del Monte plays classical and flamenco guitars by Erez Perelman from Israel and Altamira Guitars.
