Juanjo Guillem

Spanish National Orchestra

Juanjo Guillem (Catarroja, Valencia – Spain – 1965) has a broad and solid musical education obtained with the highest grades in the Superior Conservatories of Music in Valencia, Barcelona, Madrid, the Conservatoire National de Région de Strasbourg (France) and Manchester’s Royal Northern College of Music (England). His career as a professional percussionist is threefold: as an orchestral musician, as a soloist and as an educator.

As a orchestral musician he has been a member of different orchestras such as the Gran Teatre of the Liceu in Barcelona, and Madrid’s Symphonic Orchestra. Currently, he is the Principal Percussionist and Timpani player in the Spanish National Orchestra. As a soloist, he specialises in 20th Century music, and has performed in Spain, Europe, Asia and America. Many composers – such as José Luis Turina, Jesús Torres, Mauricio Sotelo, Alicia Díaz, Pedro Guajardo, Thierry Pecou, Consuelo Díez, Julio Sanz, Rafael Reina, Miguel Ruizand Tomás Garrido- have designated their pieces to be premiered by him. He has also premiered numerous concerts for percussion and orchestra together with different formations such as the Spanish National Orchestra, Las Palmas de Gran Canaria’s Orchestra, Madrid’s Symphonic Orchestra, San Petersburg’s Chamber Orchestra, Pamplona’s ‘Pablo Sarasate’ Orchestra, Murcia’s Orchestra, Majorca’s Orchestra, the Cascais Chamber Orchestra (Portugal) and the ‘Andrés Segovia’ Orchestra. This interest in collaborating with other artists has led him to perform as percussionist of the Royal Dance Superior School, thus participating in different performances of modern and contemporary dance, flamenco, theatre, painting, video-creation and sculpture.

In 1994, along with Juanjo Rubio, he founded the Neopercusión Centre of Studies, a public centre focused on the teaching and diffusion of percussion. His educational activity has been concentrated in this centre for several years. He has been professor in Madrid and Zaragoza’s Superior Conservatories of Music, he is a regular teacher in several young orchestras, and has arranged – and participated in – summer courses on percussion. In addition, he has lectured in several study centres in Spain and Europe (Amsterdam, Lyon, Montpellier, Basil, Strasbourg, Perpignan’s School of Music, Manchester’s RNCM, London’s RNC and Royal Academy) America (Monterrey and Jalapa’s Superior Schools) and Asia (Beijing, Shenyang and Sanxy’s Schools of Music).

He is a member of the groups Neopercusión (modern music) and Urbethnic (ethnic and electronic music) with whom he has released four albums; Todas las caras de la percusión (1997), Música hispanoamericana para percusión (1998), URBETHNIC by Neopercusión (1998), and Credo in Cage (2003). Some of these albums include his own compositions which have also been performed in a wide range of forums, from classical music festivals such as Granada’s Festival, Soria’s Musical Autumn Festival, Galicia’s Festival, Santander’s Festival to contemporary music conferences such as Alicante’s Festival, Musiques D´aujordhui-Perpignan (France) San Sebastián’s Musical Fortnight and additional performing art events such as Madrid en Danza – Espacios Insólitos, Aula de Nuevas Músicas (Valencia) and in the Reina Sofía Museum.

Juanjo Guillem performs exclusively with Zildjian, Malletech, Novapercusio, and Remo instruments.