(UNION, NJ) -- Guitar virtuoso Pablo Sáinz Villegas, called “the soul of the Spanish guitar” will share his passionate musical interpretations at Kean Stage’s Enlow Recital Hall on Friday, September 29.
Villegas began learning the guitar at age six in his native Spain. “A year later, I went on stage during a school recital and for the first time, I unexpectedly felt the powerful magic of music when sharing it with an audience,” he said. “I felt a pure light that connected me with something greater than myself, and this experience changed my life forever. I am thankful to have had the discipline, talent and family support to continue on my path.”
Villegas studied in Germany for five years before moving to New York City in 2001, when he was awarded a full scholarship to the Manhattan School of Music. “I was craving to explore a city as exciting and multicultural as New York,” he said.
Since then, he has become known for his virtuosic and emotive playing, whether he is performing in intimate venues, such as Kean Stage’s Enlow Recital Hall, or arenas filled with 85,000 fans, including Santiago Bernabéu Stadium in Madrid, where the tenor Plácido Domingo hailed him as “the master of the guitar.”
“Sharing my music with people is what makes me feel,” said Villegas. “Whether a small or large audience, this is what continues to infuse my drive. People I play for and meet around the world, like Plácido Domingo, constantly inspire me to give the best of myself and to push my own boundaries in creating the best possible experience. I do what I do because of my audience and I feel the music belongs to them.”
Villegas has appeared on some of the world’s most prestigious stages, including Carnegie Hall in New York, the Philharmonie in Berlin and the Concertgebouw in Amsterdam. Known for a sound so rich and full that it does not need amplification, he has performed concertos with famed symphonies in more than 30 countries.
When choosing his music, Villegas looks for pieces that he connects with emotionally. He enjoys putting together programs that take the audience on a musical journey through different emotions, aesthetics and composers. “I try not to think while performing. I let the notes flow through me as bubbles that then are spread in the crowd and splash into each one with a different message or emotion,” he said.
While on Kean University’s campus, Villegas will host a master class for a group of music students. “Both of my parents are teachers, so I always found it very natural to teach,” he said. “I enjoy trying to bring out the best in aspiring musicians by exploring technique, purpose and the connection to the audience.”
Pablo Sáinz Villegas will perform at 7:30 p.m. on Friday, September 29, at Enlow Recital Hall, 215 North Ave., Hillside, NJ. Tickets are $40 to $60 and are available at the Kean Stage Box Office in Wilkins Theatre on the main campus of Kean University, 1000 Morris Avenue, Union, NJ, by phone at 908-737-7469 or online at www.keanstage.com.
