Biography

Luis Sanz

Luis Sanz is a talented cuatro player, composer, musical director of Hermanos Sanz and professor at the Interamerican University of Puerto Rico. He began playing the Puerto Rican cuatro at the age of four; by age nine he had appeared with the Puerto Rico Symphony Orchestra. Luis’ creative development and talent in improvisation brought him to arranging and composing works that has been perform in China, France and the United States. He has produced three recording albums. Luis headlined the Latin Grammy Award 2017 show with Residente, and collaborated with Lin-Manuel Miranda on music for a new film about Puerto Rican culture. In 2018, Luis composed the film score and music performance for the documentary “Pa’ Lante”. Also, he was selected as the ambassador of the cuatro for the Puerto Rican Parade at New York and was awarded of the Chancellor’s Artpreneur Grant by the Kenan Institute for the Arts at UNCSA, 2019. He continues to open new paths to connect traditional Puerto Rican forms and sonorities with contemporary Classical techniques in order to create a legacy for future generations.

Luis and his sister Lisvette founded the musical group Hermanos Sanz in 2006. Together, they have performed and conducted workshops in France, Spain, Corsica, Cuba and in the United States. Also, they have produced two recording albums: “Marcando La Historia” (2009) & “Ponte en pie” (2014) & participated more than 600 in cultural, educational, religious and social events. Also, television and radio broadcast participation. Since the age of 14, he started teaching at the Academia de Música Presbiteriana Westminster, Inc. in Bayamon, PR.  He taught music theory and instruments like: the “cuatro”, popular guitar, “tiple”, “tres cubano” and bass. Luis has been collaborating in different recordings and events with important artists as Ednita Nazario, Gilberto Santa Rosa, Bernie Williams, Victor Manuelle, Elvis Crespo, José Nogueras, Luisito Carrión, Danny Rivera, Roy Brown, Hermes Croatto, Residente “Calle 13”, El Gran Combo de PR, Kany García, Lucecita Benítez, Lin-Manuel Miranda and others.

He garnered much recognition including first award for the competition of young “cuatristas” of Puerto Rican Culture Institute (2010), two special recognition from the Puerto Rican House of Representatives (2005 & 2014), granted scholarship for a bachelor degree at Inter-American University of Puerto Rico (2012),
commission work by “Asociación de Padres y Amigos Orquestas Secundarias y Superiores inc.” (APAOSS) (2015), First Prize GladeTM composition competition (2015), dedication of “46th Festival del Cuatro Puertorriqueño” (2016), Chicago’s Puerto Rican Arts Alliance recognition
for outstanding contribution in the cuatro instrument (2016), and many others.

Luis earned his Bachelor’s degree in Music Composition at the Puerto Rico Conservatory of Music with his mentor Alfonso Fuentes. At the same time, he earned a Bachelor’s degree at Inter-American University of Puerto Rico in Bass performance with Professor Samuel Morales, with a minor in Education. Luis holds a Master in Music Composition at UNCSA with Professor Lawrence Dillon.

Ahora Luis ejecuta fácilmente la música en su instrumento considerándose difícil para aquellos ejecutantes expertos que le llevan el doble de su edad. – Bilingual Teen magazine

Luis cruza fronteras con su cuatro – El Nuevo Día

The String Master, UNCSA grad student Luis Sanz has risen to international fame with an instrument few Americans have heard. – Winston Salem Magazine

 

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