Leo Brouwer, the renowned composer, classical guitarist, and conductor known to the world, was born Juan Leovigildo Brouwer. He started playing the guitar at the age of 13 and was the great-nephew of Ernesto Lecuona, a well-known composer and pianist. Some of his early compositions include "Prelude" (1956) and "Fugue". Brouwer received his education from the Juilliard School and the Hartt College of Music, following which he worked in major positions in the film and television industries in Cuba. His compositions for the guitar have been recorded by top guitarists worldwide and have often been featured at guitar festivals. With numerous film scores to his credit, he also wrote the score for the 1993 film "Like Water for Chocolate". Brouwer established and led the Orquesta de Cordoba in Spain and his sixth concerto for classical guitar, the Concierto de Volos, was written in 1996 at the request of Greek guitarist Costas Cotsiolis. Brouwer has performed on every continent and has over a hundred records to his name. He is currently the Principal Conductor of the Cordoba Symphony in Spain, the Artistic Director of the Havana Symphony, and a member of the International Council of Music.
