Spanish virtuoso tonight on Istanbul stage

ISTANBUL

World-famous Spanish guitar virtuoso and composer Cañizares will meet with his Turkish fans on stage tonight at the Cemal Reşit Rey Concert Hall.

Cañizares worked with flamenco’s legendary name Paco De Lucia for more than 10 years in his career and made musical collaborations with important names, such as Enrique Morente, Alejandro Sanz, Peter Gabriel, John Paul Jones and Mauricio Sotelo.

Spanish Academy Award Winner Cañizares, who received great praise for his compositions in the projects of the Spanish National Ballet, also composed music for Carlos Saura’s films.

He won the “Best Flamenco Album of the Year” award at the Spanish MIN Awards in 2019 with his album “El Mito de la Caverna.”

In addition to his composer and performer identity, Cañizares also teaches flamenco guitar and masterclasses in Spain and many different countries around the world.

Ahead of his show tonight, he answered questions.

What are your very first memories of music? Did you grow up in a musical family?

Flamenco was always present when I was growing up. It is there in my earliest memories: My parents sang and my brother played the guitar… It was something natural, almost instinctive, like breathing; a feeling that was always there in the family and our environment.

Do you remember your first public appearance, your first gig? What is the best part of being on stage?

I do not remember exactly my first concert in public. When I was 10 years old, I already played in public accompanying some flamenco singers. Playing on stage takes is a responsibility, but at the same time, it gives me adrenaline, things that would not come out at home.

Which country feels close to you the most and why?

In Japan, there is a lot of love for flamenco; I affectionately call it “Eastern Andalusia.” Culturally, it is a very different country than Spain, but I see that in the end, we have something in common. It is very curious; I feel at home while staying in Japan.

What do you like to listen to in your daily life?

I listen to a lot of music, of course, flamenco music, but also orchestral and classical music performed with different instruments as well as jazz music.

Could you please share the most interesting memory or experience about your travels to foreign countries?

The trip to Kyoto, a historic city in Japan, was very interesting for me. Kyoto is a very old city, which has thousands of years of history and has hundreds of temples and buildings of ancient and precious woods throughout the city. I got curious when I arrived at the Kyoto railway station, it is a huge and modern building, which has nothing similar to the “history” of the city, but it fits perfectly into the landscape of that ancient city. It is a city that coexists in an original way, the oldest and the most modern cultures.

Do you have any impressions about Turkey and any messages for Turkish audience?

I always have very good memories when I perform in Turkey since it shows that the Turkish people have huge respect for flamenco. I would also very much like to perform with a big orchestra for the Turkish public one day. I love Turkey.