Angel Romero

Among Spain’s celebrated Romero dynasty of guitarists, Angel Romero stands out for the remarkable range of his artistic pursuits. Although he has frequently joined forces on stage and in the studio with relatives, most notably his brother Pepe, his professional path has steadily moved toward greater autonomy.

Born in Málaga in 1946, he was the youngest of the three performing sons of Celedonio Romero. He stepped onto the professional stage at six and had already become an international touring artist while still in his mid-teens. Seeking relief from the constraints imposed by Spain’s Franco regime, the family relocated to California in 1957; two years later the sixteen-year-old made his American debut at the Hollywood Bowl. Since that appearance he has appeared regularly as recitalist and concerto soloist in leading venues across Europe and the Americas. He maintained a particularly close artistic bond with Joaquín Rodrigo, introducing the composer’s Rincones de España to the public in 1991. Having studied conducting under Eugene Ormandy, Romero served in 1998 as both guitarist and conductor on a recording with the Academy of St. Martin-in-the-Fields—one of more than twenty discs he has released. He later became associated with the Delos label. In 1986 the Spanish government awarded him the Grand Cross of Civil Merit; in 2000 he received the nation’s equivalent of knighthood and began styling himself Sir Angel Romero.

During the 1980s and 1990s Romero explored several fresh avenues. Together with pianist George Shearing he recorded Claude Bolling’s Concerto for Guitar and Jazz Piano Trio. He also immersed himself in film music, performing the complete score for Robert Redford’s 1989 epic The Milagro Beanfield War and composing original scores for additional pictures, one of which—the music for Bienvendido—earned him Mexico’s Ariel Award in 1995. His ventures into crossover and flamenco repertory attracted new engagements with mid-sized American orchestras that favored pops programming. The New York Times has described him as “an artist of unfailing musicality. His playing is virtuosic but inevitably dignified.” Within the continuing lineage of Spanish guitarists descended from the Segovia tradition, Romero occupies a secure and notably approachable position.