Biography:
“Soulful and virtually flawless,” hails the Portland Oregonian and the Boston Globe
writes, “In warm, round tones, the notes of Bach cascaded from the guitar, every note correct and played without hesitation.” Classical guitarist, pedagogue and educator Isaac Bustos, enjoys an extensive performing career that has taken him to Canada, Central America, Europe and all over the US. Dr. Bustos has made several Radio and Television appearances and is in demand as clinician and master class teacher invited to perform in some of the most prestigious festivals including the Guitar Foundation of America Annual Convention, Portland Guitar Festival, St. Joseph International Guitar Festival, Southwest Guitar Festival, Brownsville Guitar Festival, Classical Minds Festival, Festival Internacional de Guitarra Monterrey, Festival Ramon Noble and Festival del Noreste in Mexico. Isaac has also appeared as soloist with the Orchestra of New Spain, The Baytown Symphony Orchestra, The Nicaraguan National Symphony Orchestra and the Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra under the baton of Maestro JoAnn Falletta.
Isaac holds an impressive number of top prizes in over 12 major international competitions, 7 of which are first prizes. Some of these include: the Miami International Guitar Competition, Texas International Guitar Competition, Lachine International Guitar Competition, St. Joseph International Solo Guitar Competition, Portland Solo Guitar Competition, East Carolina University Solo Guitar Competition, Appalachian State University Solo Guitar Competition, International JoAnn Falletta Concerto Competition, Columbus State University Solo Guitar Competition, Southwest International Guitar Competition, Boston Guitar Fest International Guitar Competition and the prestigious Concurso Internacional Guitarras Alhambra held in Valencia, Spain.
In the fall of 2008, Isaac released his debut CD titled Caprichos y Sonatas which Soundboard magazine described as “…one of the best…it has everything one could want.” In addition, Bustos has performed several premieres of new music for guitar. Most recently, works by composers Peter Askim for solo guitar, Andrew Dickinson for four guitars, a work for two guitars and electronic sound effects by Jeremy Cumbo and “After Sylvius” a solo guitar work written for Isaac by composer/guitarist Frank Wallace. In the summer of 2010, Bustos premiered a new guitar Sonata commissioned and dedicated to him by renowned American Composer Peter Lieuwen.
Isaac holds a Bachelor of Music degree in guitar performance from the University of
New Hampshire, where he was the only guitarist to ever hold a full scholarship, a Master of Music degree from the University of Texas at Austin where he also completed a Doctor of Musical Arts degree under the tutelage of world-renowned American guitarist Adam Holzman. Bustos is also a founding member of and performs regularly with the award-winning Texas Guitar Quartet.
As an educator, his commitment to teaching is reflected in the success of his students whose prize-winning performances have included the Eastfield Guitar Festival and competition, The Brownsville Guitar Ensemble Competition, the Classical Minds Guitar Competition, the Houston Young Artist, the East Carolina University Competition, The Rosario Competition, the Appalachian State Competition, The Boston Guitar Fest International Competition and the Guitar Foundation of America International Youth Competition. Since 2005, Dr. Bustos serves on the faculty at Texas A&M University Department of Performance Studies where he is head of guitar studies and artistic director of the Texas A&M International Guitar Symposium and Competition.
