BIOGRAPHY
  
   Gaspar began to study violin at age seven under the guidance of Natalia Gudkov of the Julliard School of Music in New York City. Once back in his native city of Puebla, Mexico he took up the classical guitar in the local Conservatory and at the same time he played rock and blues with Tony Baker at the University of the Americas (UDLA) He later continued his classical guitar studies at the world famous Estudio de Arte Guitarristico with Manuel Lopez Ramos, graduating in 1979. He also studied flamenco guitar with Robert Amaya, nephew of Carmen Amaya.

   In 1972 he won 2nd place in the National Guitar Competition in Monterrey and in 1978 he made 1st prize in the International Classical Guitar Competition in Paracho, Michoacan. In 1982 he was finalist in the Manuel M. Ponce International Guitar Competition.

   In 1980 he founded the Classical Guitar School in the Casa de Cultura of Puebla. Later, at the University of the Americas, he established the Flamenco workshop and initiated the Fuego Flamenco group. He also taught Spanish guitar at the Escuela de Musica Antigua. He has lectured extensively on Mexican music in universities, Casas de Cultura and at the International Congress of Art and Culture of the University of Puebla (BUAP). He is currently on the faculty of the Conservatory of Puebla where he teaches guitar 

   He has been “tutor” of grant recipients of the Puebla State Fund for the Arts and Culture and member of the Technical and Planning committees of this fund. He is also a member of the Seminar of Mexican Culture, a group of experts who council government on questions of art, culture and education in general. In the year 2004 he received a grant from the FOESCAP/CONACULTA in the category of Creadores con Trayectoria to play his compositions on a tour of his native state and to compose a series of pieces allusive to this tour.

   As a concert guitarist he has played all over Mexico and in some US cities. Just to mention a few: in 1978 he carried out a tour of 16 cities for the Mexican petroleum company (PEMEX); in 1979 he inaugurated the Friends of the Texas Boy’s Choir Concert Series. More recent participations have been at the International Palafox Festival, The International Festival of Puebla, The Historic Center Festival, the Cleofas Villegas Guitar Festival of Atlixco, The international Cultural Fair of Huamantla and the Second International Guitar Fest of Zihuatanejo. He has also organized and played at the International Guitarrisima Puebla.

   Gaspar has recorded several CD’s. The latest, Festones and Secretos, are collections of his recent classical guitar opus. His music is published in Italy by VP Music Media and in the United States by Clear Note Publications.

   Juan Gaspar currently lives in Puebla with his wife Rosario Robles and their children Juan Sebastián, Rosario Isabel and Andrés Gabriel.