Alum Roberto Granados to Perform with California Symphony

Great news from Roberto Granados, a From the Top alum from our Lubbock, Texas show.  He was recently contacted by the California Symphony, who requested he join them on May 1, 2011 to perform three movements from Joaquin Rodrigo’s “Concierto de Aranjuez.”  He has commissioned a local luthier to have a special classical guitar made for this event.

This past January, Roberto had the opportunity to to play with Jon Anderson of the English progressive rock band Yes at Tony LaRussa’s 2010 Stars to the Rescue benefit for the Animal Rescue Foundation.  They performed an abridged version of “And You and I” and “Time and A Word.”

Roberto and Jon Anderson, 2010

Roberto’s father reveals:

Prior to Jon going on stage to introduce Roberto, Roberto told Jon that while he was waiting at the hotel he had come up with an ending that he had arranged for “Time and A Word” that he wanted to play.  Jon nodded in agreement, as he walked on stage.  At the end of the piece, Roberto played the ending he had arranged.  You could not hear a pin drop in the packed theatre, and the expression of Jon’s face, hearing for the first time what Roberto had put together, showed he was deeply moved.  It was spectacular!

Currently Roberto is studying with Grisha Goryachev, an accomplished flamenco and classical guitarist who attended the New England Conservatory of Music in Boston studying under Eliot Fisk. Last year he played for From the Top at the Emmys; you can read more about it here.