Texte de présentation du concert du 21 mars 1975 à New-York. Ce même jour, Antonio Membrado fêtait ses 40 ans.
When guitar virtuoso Antonio Membrado is presented by Moshe Naïm at Alice Tully Hall, Lincoln Center, on Friday evening March 21, at 8, he will be making not only his American debut but celebrating his fortieth birthday as well.
He was born in Madrid on the first day of Spring , March 21, 1935. In 1945, Membrado began to study the lute and learned to play it proficiently both solo and ensemble but it was not till three years later that his true musical career was initiated when the prominent guitarist, Manuel Hernandez, took him on as a pupil.
In 1950, he expanded his musicianship by piano study, with the composer-pianist Pedro Carre at the Madrid Conservatory, accomplishing the work of three years in one. In 1952, the Venezuelian guitarist-composer Rodrigo Riera helped him discover a new position of the right hand which transformed the sonority of the instrument.
He gave his first concerts in Madrid during that year. After studying further with R. Sainz de la Maza, he was ready to compete with any young guitarist. He won First Prize (a unanimous choice) at the Madrid Conservatory in 1956, and a month later met Segovia for the first time. The master was delighted and made him play a few concerts at the end of the Musical Academy of Siena semester.
In september 1956, Membrado won the First Medal in the International Competition of Geneva. Since then the doors of a worldwide career have been opened to him, He has won acclaim all over Europe and now the U.S.A. have a chance to enjoy him.