Biography

Life alone is not enough.
the sun, the freedom and a small
flower are always needed.

             Hans Christian Andersen- The butterfly 

From a young age he was developed a passion of music. This eventually lead him to music school and advanced professional studies, including various seminars and trombone courses with specialized teachers, such as Wagner Wallace from the famous group Earth Wind and Fire.

Raúl studied composition and orchestration with professor Neyfe Milanés (ex director of the Tropicana orchestra) as well as production and radial direction with Luis Rovira (famous musicologist and radio director). He taught himself percussion, bass, vocal assembly and musicology.

Studies and degrees obtained:

  • Trombone

  • Guitar

  • Bass

  • Percussion

  • Producer

  • Composer

  • Orchestra

  • Chorus and Orchestra direction

For more than 30 years ago, he has performed with different types of groups and diverse genres and roles such as:

  • Accompanying Guitarist

  • Trios, quartets, quintets...

  • Septets

  • Groups

  • Sets

  • Orchestras

  • Bands

In groups such as:

  • Trío origen

  • Iresón

  • Iyakarey

  • Ilusión del 60

  • Conjunto Palmas y Cañas

  • Soneros de Cuba

  • Banda Hechizo

  • Tropical Swing

He participated in the "Recibimiento del papa Juan Pablo II" (welcoming of the Pope John Paul II)

He did orchestration for the music "símbolo" dedicated to the Prime Minister of Santa Lucia: Kenny Davis Anthony.

Documentary for channel 4 in the Swedish television, RTE, BBC, C.D.

His compositions had been broadcasted in: Estación de Radio de San Luis Missouri, KPFK, Canto Tropical, used also in films for the companies of Miramax, bravo films and others.

He has directed orchestras of different genres and formats. He has composed more than 200 works, between them: songs, suites, rhapsodies, operas, etc. He has orchestrated a lot of works for different formats and had done several productions. His compositions and orchestrations had also been interpreted by others, for example:

  • Tribute to Antonio Flores, radiophonic programs and television programs, videoclips, soap operas in Cuba and several other places..
  • Alberto Tosca (Troubadour) •
  • Nilo (Rapper) •
  • Félix Valoy (Buenavista Social Club) •
  • Félix Valoy (son) Afro Cuban All Star
  • Coco Freeman (best voices from Cuba)
  • Anais Abreu ( Cuba disco price)
  • Banda de Conciertos

Has participated in festivals and contests such as:

  • Festival Internacional de Circo

  • Festival Mundial de Juventud y los Estudiantes XII y XIV

  • Premio Ibero Jazz 2000

In 2003 he made three productions for the label Envidia Reord:

  • Feliz Valoy (son)

  • Raúl Guará y El Dream Team

  • www.Guara.com

In 2004 he started producing his own CD COMO PA' CHUPARSE LOS DEDOS, production in which all the compositions and orchestrations are made by him. In the same year he composed music for contemporary dance and INTERVADOS for the Middlebury Dance Company Vermont, U.S.A

In february, march and 22 and 23 of april of 2005 D.C.M premiers the work INTERVADOS in the cities of New York and Middlebury. Raúl Guará was invited to compose a cuban symphony (Tumbao) by the orchestra Sinfonía Concertante de Dresde, Germany. He made orchestrations for various movies and even video games.

2006 Produces, directs and arranges the CD Tribute to Motown. CD that had the participation of the great figures of cuban music such as:

  • Bárbara Zamora (Orchestra Anacaona)

  • Tirso Duarte (Afro Cuban All Stars)

  • Alenis (NG La Banda)

  • Cuarteto Sexto Sentido

  • Eudy ( Pikin) Fernández (Orchestra of Cabaret Tropicana)

  • Carlos Álvarez (Cubanism)

  • Pedro Luís González (Orchestra Sinfónica de Cuba)

  • Jenny Valdés (Orchestra Lo Van Van)

2007 "MOTOR CITY MAMBO" was the theme for the presentation and farewell of the channel CUBAVISION of the tv program "VERLO EN VIVO" from the summer program on Saturdays at 8:30 PM

2008 He arranged the brazilian musician Pedro Amorim
In two months he composes 50 songs and projects 50 SUBLIMES CANCIONES DE AMOR

2009 Created CD "Raúl Guará. 20 éxitos", and "Romántico del XXI".

2010 Tour on Uruguay

On March 3, 2010 he creates and speaks in the conference of "Hablemos de Música Cubana" in the association of la Asociación de Músicos Uruguayos

Teaches courses, workshops, and master classes of composition and arrangements. Transcribed 20 works from the composer Juan Rivera Prevot author from Guara- pachanga for the editor in Denmark: Forlaget EA

2011

Does the arrangements of clarinets for the group COMPAY SEGUNDO.  

Participates in the 4th IMC World Forum on Music celebrating between 26 of September and the first of October in Tallinn, Estonia

Does the arrangements for the duo of Violoncello of IÑAKI ETXEPARE & MARTA ROMA

2012

26 of august 2012, premiers the play of BIARRITZ

2013

Composes music for various interpreters
Participates in the European Forum on Music in Glasgow

2014

Participates in the European Forum on Music Bern (Switzerland)

2015

Produces the show of SABOR, that tours in different cities and countries in Spain, France and England.

2016

Publishes the book of his music: The Music of Raúl Guará

2017

Presentations in Honolulu Hawaii

2019

Made the arrangement for the song El Manicero for the String Orchestra of  Los Angeles

2020

Starts giving cuban percussion classes and directs the band Burlington Pop Orquestra (BPO) along with Nowa Crosby, Ramiro Barrantes, and other musicians in Burlington, Vermont, USA


Recognitions:

  • Chosen as the artist of the month in September and October of 2004 by the company Latin Music Artists.

  • 2009- His CD "Tribute to Motown" is one of the featured CD ́s in Spain through the Nokia Portal.