Born in the United States, Guillermo Rios has been part of the Flamenco community in Spain and North America for 28 years. He has lived in Granada and Madrid for 19 of those years, performing in flamenco clubs and touring Spain, Europe, the Middle East and North America with many Spanish dance companies. Arcos de Cuchilleros, Las Cuevas de Nemesio and Los Cabales are three of the clubs in Madrid where he performed for many years. He toured Spain and Europe with Carmen Mora, Mercedes Moreno, Curra Zimenez, Ricardo "El Veneno" and Mariano Torres, among many others. In the United States, he has toured extensively with Jose Greco, Jose Greco II; five years with Maria Benitez, Rosa Montoya, Jose Molina, La Tania and Ramon de Los Reyes.

Since 1992, he has been part of the quartet "Festival of Four", directed by Richard Patterson. Averaging 60-70 concerts per year, they recently completed a five-year touring contract with Community Concerts, Inc. "Festival of Four" is a collaboration of instrumental styles and musical cultures. Combining classical, Flamenco and Latin music, their imaginative arrangements have received critical and popular acclaim from national and international audiences alike.

Grants:

Guillermo was awarded a grant for Flamenco music composition in 1983 from the Canada Council for the Arts. In 1992, he received a grant from "Meet the Composer" a Ford Foundation affiliate. The grant for original music was the first ever awarded to a Flamenco Guitarist.

Discography:

"Soul of Spain", 1993

"Sufir Por Amor", 1995

"Danza De Amor", 1999

"Destination: Spain" National Geographic Series, 2001

Video Publications

"Mastery of the Flamenco Guitar"

Volume I: Mastery of Technique

Volume II: Alegrias and Soleares

Volume IIII: Touques Libres, the Non-Rhythmic Flamenco Tradition

Education:

BA in English, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA