Pablo Zapico, baroque guitar & lute

Born in Langreo, Asturias, he directed his studies towards the field of Early Music from an early age, based on historically informed performance. In 2006 he completed his advanced studies in plucked strings at the ESMuC (Barcelona) with Xavier Díaz-Latorre, obtaining the highest qualification, and in 2012 he obtained a master’s degree in Musicology, musical education and interpretation of early music from the University of Barcelona.

Together with his brothers Aarón Zapico and Daniel Zapico, he is co-founder of the prestigious baroque group Forma Antiqva, recognised by critics as one of the most highly rated on the current scene. Independently, he maintains an intense activity as a soloist and collaborator with the most important European groups and orchestras: Ensemble Artaserse, La Ritirata, Cappella Mediterranea, Harmonie Universelle, Accademia del Piacere or Concerto 1700, among others; and under the direction of Benjamin Bayl, Attilio Cremonesi, William Christie, Philippe Jaroussky, Leonardo García Alarcón, Andrea Marcon, Enrico Onofri, Christina Pluhar, Federico Maria Sardelli or Aarón Zapico.

He has participated in the most important festivals on the peninsula and has toured internationally in the United Kingdom, Portugal, France, Italy, Germany, Holland, the Czech Republic, Poland, the Republic of Serbia, Greece, Turkey, China, Japan, Singapore, Argentina, Brazil, Bolivia, Peru, Uruguay, Chile, Bogotá, Panama, Mexico and Australia.

He has recorded more than forty albums for labels such as Erato, Alpha or Winter&Winter. He has also made live recordings for Radio France Musique, BBC, RTVE and Catalunya Música. Together with his brothers Aaron and Daniel, he was nominated three times for the prestigious ICMA (International Classical Music Awards) in 2010, 2011 and 2013 in the category of best instrumental baroque CD. In 2018 he received the awards for Best Record Production from GEMA and Best Classical Music Album at the MIN Awards for Concerto Zapico Vol. 2.

As a teacher, he has given master classes at The University of Melbourne (Australia), Le Rocher de Palmer (France), Yong Siew Toh Conservatory of Music (Singapore), Colegio de Educadores de Lima (Peru), Universidad de Santiago de Chile (Chile), Yaşar Üniversitesi de Izmir (Turkey) and Universidad de Música de Panamá.

He currently combines his career as a performer with teaching, being chaired professor at the Real Conservatorio Superior de Música de Madrid (RCSMM). He regularly collaborates with the magazines of the Sociedad de la Vihuela and the Lute Society of America. He is working on the publication of his book “Complete Basso Continuo Method“, an intensive course that he teaches online for more than 900 students and teachers from all over the world.

Pablo Zapico has been awarded the distinction of Asturian of the Month by the newspaper La Nueva España, the award for Group of the Year 2010 by the Television of the Principality of Asturias, the Music Awards in Asturias 2012, the Serondaya Award 2012 for Cultural Innovation, the Best Baroque Music Group 2018 award from GEMA and the Gold Medal of the European Forum Cum Laude 2019.

In June 2021 he was awarded the prestigious Beca Leonardo for researchers and creators from the BBVA Foundation for the “Recording of unpublished tonadillas from ‘La Caramba’” with Forma Antiqva.

Photos

 Download professional photos of Pablo Zapico from Flickr.

Publications

    • «Técnica de Rasgueado Vol. 8». Hispanica Lyra. 2022, No. 28, p- 6-9.
    • «Técnica de Rasgueado Vol. 6 y 7». Hispanica Lyra. 2021, No. 27, p. 6-9.
    • «Técnica de Rasgueado Vol. 5». Hispanica Lyra. 2020, No. 26, p. 17-20.
    • «Técnica de Rasgueado Vol. 4». Hispanica Lyra. 2019, No. 25, p. 17-19.
    • «Técnica de Rasgueado Vol. 3». Hispanica Lyra. 2018, No. 24, p. 16-18.
    • «Técnica de Rasgueado Vol. 2». Hispanica Lyra. 2017, No. 23, p. 26-27.
    • «Técnica de Rasgueado Vol. 1». Hispanica Lyra. 2015, No. 21, p. 20-24.
    • «Pavanas por la D, con partidas al aire español de Gaspar Sanz. Edición interpretativa». Hispanica Lyra. 2013, no. 18, p. 23-27.

    The collection of articles on «Técnica de Rasgueado» is also currently being published by the Lute Society of America:

    • «The Rasgueado Technique, Part VI». Lute Society of America Quaterly volume 55, Nos. 1 & 2, Spring & Summer 2020, p. 17-18.
    • «The Rasgueado Technique, Part V». Lute Society of America Quaterly volume 54, No. 4, Winter 2019, p. 5-8.
    • «The Rasgueado Technique, Part IV». Lute Society of America Quarterly volume 54, Nos. 2 & 3, Summer & Fall 2019, p. 5-7.
    • «The Rasgueado Technique, Part III». Lute Society of America Quarterly volume 54, No. 1, Spring 2019, p. 5-7.
    • «The Rasgueado Technique, Part II». Lute Society of America Quarterly volume 53, No. 4, Winter 2018, p. 4-6.
    • «The Rasgueado Technique, Part I». Lute Society of America Quarterly volume 53, Nos. 2 & 3, Summer & Fall 2018, p. 5-8.