Alí Arango is one of the most prominent guitarists of his generation. With a virtuosity at the service of musicality and a balanced mix of subtlety and expressive power, he has conquered all types of audiences and juries. He is graduated from the Conservatory “Amadeo Rodán” (Havana) and Conservatory Liceu (Barcelona) with the highest qualification, being Winner of the Extraordinary Prize of the Conservatory Liceu between all the instruments. Parallel he studied with Maestro Antonio Alberto Rodríguez (Biki) and Maestro Joaquín Clerch. Ali Arango has received occasional lessons from Maestro Leo Brouwer as well as participated in different projects with him.
He has won 22 prizes in several guitar competitions. Among his most
important awards are:
– First Prize and Public Prize in LII «Francisco Tarrega Competition» (Benicassim. Spain)
– First Prize, Alhambra Prize for new Spanish creation and Public Prize in XIIº International Alhambra Guitar Competition» (Valencia. Spain)
– First Prize in XXXII International Guitar Competition «Andrés Segovia» (La Herradura,
Spain)
– First Prize in XIV Concurso Internacional de la Habana. (Cuba)
– First Prize in VII International Guitar Competition «Gredos San Diego» in Madrid
– First Prize in XIII Palau de la Música Catalana Competition in Barcelona “El Primer Palau” (All Instruments and Formats)
– First Prize in International Guitar Competition “Düsseldorfer Gitarfestival” (Germany)
– First Prize XII International Guitar Competition «Miguel Llobet» (Barcelona. Spain)
– First Prize en el XXII International Guitar Competition «Andrés Segovia» ( Linares. Spain)
– First Prize in VI Encuentro Internacional de Guitarra “Norba Caesarina” (Cáceres. Spain)
– First Prize in XVII International Guitar Competition «Comarca el Condado» (Spain)
«Since he was awarded in the Havana Guitar Competition, being very young, he has maintained a very high level as a soloist. I still remember his interpretations of my Sonata, Elegíaco Concert and the record of my work Los negros brujos se divierten.»
Leo BROUWER
He has recorded two CDs for NAXOS in the «Laureates Series»; the CD Tarrega and Mangoré meet Chopin in Havana for RECORD CONTRASTS and the Vol.1 of PYROPHORUS GUITAR DUO with the JSM Guitar Records label.
In 2018 he made his USA debut at the Kennedy Center in Washington, in London at the Royal Greenwich Guitar Festival i in Japan.
He has made the World Premiere of three works by Brouwer (commissioned by the author himself): «Paisaje Cubano con Tristeza» (solo guitar); «Gismontiana» (for four guitars and orchestra of strings) and Series Nº1 of the «Ritual and Festive Dances» (for solo guitar).
He has performed in important concert halls, such as: Palau de la Música Catalana, Palau de la Música in Valencia, Manuel de Falla Auditorium, National Theater of Cuba, Kennedy Center, among others. He has offered concerts in several countries such as: Spain, Cuba, Germany, China, Mexico, Malta, Algeria, Italy, Ecuador, USA, Poland, Japan or UK.
«Alí Arango, despite his youth, is a deep artist with a fine intuitive sense, he does not get carried away by the unnecessary rumblings of a poorly oriented virtuosity, but rather faithful to the intimate connection with the artistic fact, he is able to reveal masterfully the deep secrets that underlie the work. It is a very rare mixture of maturity, talent and technical power. His sui generis way of interpreting can transport us to areas of the spirit that we don’t even suspect exist.»
Antonio Rodriguez Delgado
Alí Arango is frequently invited to Festivals and Universities to offer Masterclass, concerts such as: Düsseldorf Guitar Fest (Germany), Guitar Festival of Puebla (Mexico), International Guitar Festival EBA-UABJO (Mexico), International Guitar Festival of Havana (Cuba), Faculty of Fine Arts of Oaxaca (Mexico), Robert Schumann Hochschule (Germany), Conservatorio di Verona (Italy), Norba Caesarina International Encounter, Alhambra International Guitar Competition and Festival, Granada Music and Dance Festival, «Guitar in Is Fallas Gardens» or «Arts of Cuba» Festival USA .
As a composer, his catalog includes works for solo guitar, duos for guitar and other instruments, camera formats and music for video-art and documentaries.
He currently integrates PYROPHORUS GUITAR DUO, which with original music written for this format, Arango explores the fusion between Cuban music, jazz and contemporary music.
Ali Arango collaborates as a teacher in TONEBASE and is sponsored by Knobloch Strings and Manufacturas Alhambra.