This week in Solera Flamenca we bring you the guitar of Alejandro Hurtado,one of the greatest exponents of the new generation of guitarists today. His touch exudes strength and sensitivity, two attributes which are difficult to find in the same artist whilst at the same time Alejandro exploits them both very well. His technique is precise and clean,on seeing him play he transmits to us that pleasant sensation of playing with ease which comes from a very high level of technique that allows him to concentrate on musical expression whilst overcoming any difficulty.

Alejandro’s artistic career took on a new dimension from 2017 onwards, after many long years of preparation and a good number of previous professional successes. It was in that year,just a couple of months after finishing his Higher Level studies in the Superior Music Conservatory of Flamenco Guitar in Córdoba, where he obtained an Honours Degree and an Outstanding Award at the end of his course when he was given one of the principal awards in the world of Flamenco Guitar, “El Bordón Minero”.It was given to Alejandro after several years during which nobody had actually been awarded the prize.

In the same year,2017,he was noticed by the marvellous singer Mayte Martín and she made him her official guitarist in all of her concerts(TEMPO RUBATO, al CANTAR a MANUEL, FLAMENCO CLASICO MEMENTO and DEJA VU). This collaboration was an important turning point in Alejandro’s career, as Mayte Martín is, without doubt, one of the most important figures in the world of flamenco.

This level of recognition has not come about by chance,it’s down to exceptional talent and methodical and rigorous work over a period of many years. Since he started out in the world of guitar at barely nine years old, Alejandro has always surprised people with the speed of his development, both technically and musically, as he started to win awards only a few years after beginning his studies.

His artistic training began with the classical guitar under the guidance of Marco Uceda,and later he joined the Professional Conservatory of Music and Dance “Vicente Lillo Casanovas “in San Vicente del Raspeig (Alicante), the town where he was born and where he studied with the teacher Raúl Juan Ruiz. At the same time he studied flamenco guitar with Pedro Alarcón and modern harmony with Roberto Sabater. Then he continued with David Cerreduela, and after that with the legendary guitarist Arturo Cerreduela “El Nani”, with whom he learnt the secrets of Caño Roto’s guitar.

Without doubt his classical training has given him an exceptionally clean touch on the instrument which is unusual among flamenco guitarists.But over the years his interest in flamenco had been growing and flamenco guitar became his principal focus of study.

After his brilliant time at the Professional Conservatory and after, at the same time, taking part in intensive courses with some of the best flamenco guitarists such as: Manolo Sanlúcar, José Antonio Rodríguez, El Viejin, Juan Manuel Cañizares, Rafael Riqueni, Jerónimo Maya, Manolo Franco and José Luis Montón among others, he decided to undertake a Degree Qualification in Flamenco Guitar in the Rafael Orozco Superior Conservatory in Córdoba along with maestros such as Paco Serrano and Manolo Franco, whilst continuing the study of the classical guitar with Pablo Barón.

His great talent and capacity for work have led him to garner numerous awards despite his young age:

*Primer Premio “Bordón Minero” en el Festival Internacional del Cante de las Minas La Unión 2017.
*Primer Premio “Vicente Amigo”
*Concurso Jóvenes Flamencos de Córdoba 2015.
*Primer Premio XVI Concurso Nacional de Guitarra Flamenca para Jóvenes Intérpretes de la Diputación de
Jaén 2014.
*Primer Premio Comunidad Valenciana en los Premios Veo Veo 2008.
*Primer Premio XII y XVI Concurso Jóvenes Intérpretes San Vicente del Raspeig 2009 y 2013.
*Segundo Premio Concurso Internacional de Guitarra Flamenca Niño Ricardo Murcia 2010.
*Tercer Premio Nacional en los Premios Veo Veo 2008.
*Tercer Premio Certamen Internacional de Guitarra “José Tomás” en Petrer 2006.

He has been the official guitarist in the XIV Competition of Young Flamencos and in the dance courses of the 37th Festival of Guitar in Córdoba, in the course run by Rafaela Carrasco,participating in the closing concert and performing together with José Antonio Rodríguez.

He has participated in different flamenco festivals together with the singer David Pino, sharing the stage with artists such as José Mercé, Arcangel, Miguel Ángel Cortés, Argentina, Rancapino Chico… apart from recording the CD “Tierra de Cante” and the first work of this vocalist, ‘Mi Largo Caminar”, where artists such as Fosforito, José Antonio Rodríguez, Manolo Franco and Gabriel Expósito have collaborated.

Alejandro has been the guitarist in some flamenco spectacles such as ‘Locos de Amor’, homage to Pepe Pinto and Pastora Pavón by Lucía Leiva: ‘Nazareno y Olivares’, homage to Fosforito written and directed by David Pino; “Latidos”, “Volátil”and “De Castilla a Jerez” together with the Spanish -Flamenco dance company “José Soriano”.

If you wish to get to know Alejandro’s work better we invite you to visit his web page: www.alejandrohurtadoguitar.com

Without further ado we leave you with the beautiful Liviana, a relatively unknown piece which Alejandro has been able to bring update magnificently, accompanied by the percussion of David Domínguez. For this recording the artist has played with a guitar by the guitar builder Jerónimo Pérez, 2021.