Madrid-based Classical Guitarist, Keith Rodriguez, Records Music By Bach, Barrios, Rodrigo, Tarrega and Big Bill Broonzy!

Recently, we had the chance to record one of our long-time friends, Keith Rodriguez. In the early '90s, Keith was a student at the University of California San Diego (UCSD) where he studied with Celín Romero and also had the privilege of receiving several lessons from the Romero quartet's founder, Celedonio Romero. He also received his MBA in guitar performance from San Diego State University, where he also studied with Celín. Eventually, Keith continued to perfect his craft by doing post-graduate studies at the Conservatorio Superior Real de Madrid under the instruction of José Luis Rodrigo.

Celín Romero was also the guitar teacher of Tim Miklaucic (CEO & Founder of GSI) and David Collett (GSI President). In fact, Keith studied at the same time when David was still a guitar student at UCSD. We even received an old copy of a program from one of the recitals from 1993 in which David and Keith played at the same concert. Keith also shared some photos from the time when he was a student at UCSD. Soon after Keith's recording session at GSI, David also had a chance to visit Keith in Madrid. Check out the photos below!

Although originally from San Diego, Keith stayed in Spain after his studies and he lives in Madrid to this day with his wife and four children. Keith shared with us something incredibly inspiring about his life and his family. In 2017 he had to have a kidney transplant which his wife was able to donate to him. It all happened after an 11-year struggle to protect his organs which included a very restrictive diet, all the while continuing to perform professionally. His new kidney gave him renewed strength to continue to learn and grow as an artist.

In addition to performing and teaching guitar, Keith has been active as a choir conductor with the award-winning choir, Coro J.H. Newman Colegio Internacional. The Newman choir has been awarded numerous first prizes in the Madrid school choir competitions and also received a silver medal at the 2018 National Youth Choir Competition. In addition to performing classical music, he has performed jazz with the Keith Andrews Quartet, as well as blues with his previous group, The Blue Roosters. He has composed music for various theater performances in Madrid, where he is in demand as both a performer and educator.

While at GSI, Keith recorded six videos. He started with the performance of two pieces by Johann Sebastian Bach - "Prelude in C Major" from "The Well-Tempered Clavier, Book 1, BWV 846" (arr. Christopher Parkening) and "Gavotte en Rondeau" from the fourth Lute Suite, BWV 1006a. He recorded these two pieces respectively on a 1933 Domingo Esteso SP/CSAR, and a 2022 Marco Bortolozzo SP/EE.

Next, Keith recorded Joaquín Rodrigo's "En Los Trigales" on a 2022 Wolfgang Jellinghaus "Signature SP/SP" SP/ZR. This is a model that is built with a lightweight lattice-braced double-top (nomex in between spruce on the outside, spruce on the inside) system for the soundboard.

For his next video, Keith chose a 2019 Juan Hernandez “Hauser” SP/IN and recorded on it the first movement, "Preludio Saudade" from "La Catedral" by Agustín Barrios Mangoré.  This guitar is based on structural details from the work of Hermann Hauser I. It also has excellent separation and balance.

In Keith's fifth video, we can hear his performance of Tárrega's famous "Estudio Brillante de Alard". Keith decided to record it on a 2015 Annette Stephany SP/IN. This guitar is a slightly modified version of an Enrique Garcia guitar (the original, from 1906 is owned by Lorenzo Frignani). The bracing is a 9+2 symmetrical system copied from the original guitar. Some aesthetic details like head shape and rosette are also taken from the original.

Keith finished his recording session with a blues piece, a style that is quite rare on our YouTube channel. It's Keith's arrangement of the song "Hey Hey" composed and originally performed by the early 20th-century American blues artist, Big Bill Broonzy. It's very interesting to see a piece like that performed on a classical guitar. Keith recorded this on the same guitar which was featured in the previous video - a 2015 Annette Stephany SP/IN.

Check out the videos below!