Daniel Acosta has been one of the most praised guitarists of his generation. Born in Venezuela, he started playing the guitar at a very young age, thanks to a family environment closely related to music and the arts. He began his guitar studies with César Rico at the “José Reyna” Music School and later with Luis Zea at the National Experimental University of the Arts (UNEARTE) in Caracas.
Since 2013 he has been developing his career in Europe, passing through different countries such as Spain, Italy, Hungary and Denmark. He has a Bachelor Degree in Classical Guitar at the Royal Conservatory of Music in Madrid and a Master’s Degree at the Royal Danish Academy of Music, obtaining the highest marks. His teachers have been Miguel Trápaga, Jesper Sivebæk, Per Pålsson and Paolo Pegoraro.
Among his recitals as a soloist, Daniel has been invited to numerous festivals: the 1st Guitar Festival “Antonio Lauro” in Caracas, the Festival “Homage to Antonio Lauro” at the CELARG Foundation in Caracas, the Festival “Homage to Francisco Rodrigo” at the José Ángel Lamas Conservatory in Caracas, the 1st Festival of Youth Guitarist of Caracas and the 3rd Festival of Young Guitarist “José Luis Rodrigo” in Madrid, as well as participating at the event “Suite Iberoamericana” at the Teatros del Canal in Madrid. On numerous occasions, he performed at the Casa Castilla La Mancha and Casa de Cantabria, also in Madrid. As for his orchestral experience, he played with the Band of the Royal Conservatory of Music of Madrid and with the renowned Municipal Symphonic Band of Madrid under the direction of Rafael Sanz Espert.
In Denmark, he has been part of many projects, playing in different parts of the country: at the PB7 Mandagskoncert, at the Betty Nansen Teatret, the Garnisonskirken and the Frederiksberg Slotskirke, among others. He was invited to give a solo concert for the annual meeting of the Danish Guitar Society, and he also participated as an assistant professor in GuitarDay at the Royal Danish Academy of Music for two consecutive years.
He has also had master classes with important guitar and lute artists such as Zoran Dukic, Judicael Perroy, Anabel Montesinos, Leo Brouwer, Álex Garrobé, Marcin Dylla, Andrea de Vitis, Viggo Mangor, Leopoldo Igarza, Eduardo Fernández, Jakob Lindberg, Niklas Johansen, Jakob Bangsø and Frederick Munk Larsen.
Composers have dedicated their works to Daniel, including “Miniatures for Guitar” by José Baroni. This work has won four international awards including the 1st International Composition Competition in Aalborg, Denmark, where it won 1st prize. Besides, the Spanish/Venezuelan composer Francisco Rodrigo dedicated to him “Concierto en Sevilla”, a concerto for guitar and orchestra.
In addition, he took part in multiple guitar competitions where he received awards for his performance: the 6th International Guitar Festival in Caracas, Venezuela (Honorary Award), the 3rd International Guitar Competition in Lima, Peru (Honorary Award) and the 1st Online Musical Competition “Gran Pausa” in Spain (Honorary Award).
In 2017, he was awarded by the Spanish “Miguel Angel Colmenero Foundation” for his artistic and pedagogical activity in the city of Madrid.
He was part of the recording of the CD “Un Siglo de Guitarras”, which is part of the book “Antología de Compositores para la Guitarra en Venezuela” by Alejandro Bruzual. Daniel is currently working on the recording and production of his first album, “Suite Venezolana”, with works by the composer Francisco Zapata Bello.
Now, Daniel is currently based in Copenhagen, Denmark, where he is actively promoting his projects and recordings. In addition, he is taking a perfection course at the Segovia Guitar Academy in Pordenone, Italy, and postgraduate studies at the Royal Academy of Music in Århus.
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“At the very beginning of his career, Daniel Acosta is already showing himself to be one of the most valuable musicians of the new generation of Venezuelan guitarists. The seriousness of his work as a performer, the security of his playing and his virtuoso technique make him a true promise on the national scene, which should soon become a consolidated and recognised work”.
— Alejandro Bruzual, guitarist, musicologist and writer (Caracas, 2010).
“Daniel Acosta is a young Venezuelan talent with a promising future and deserving of all the support he can receive thanks to his work discipline, intelligence, talent, spirit of self-improvement and profound artistic vocation”.
— Luis Zea, guitarist and composer.
“…excellent guitarist… I have had the pleasure of dedicating my Concerto for Guitar and Orchestra, “Concert in Seville”, to him, with the certainty that he will give an eloquent performance of it”.
— Francisco Rodrigo Arto, composer, poet and painter.
“A professional of remarkable sensitivity, reflection and deep knowledge of his instrument, as well as of music and art in general, Daniel Acosta stands out through a genuine expression of a very high level, making us glimpse in each work that he approaches the infinite subtlety that he harbours in the signs that structure a score through his ingenuity and refinement”.
— José Baroni, composer.
DANIEL ACOSTA 