The first award of the Alhambra award, International Guitar Excellence Award, was awarded to the Malaga performer Pepe Romero, an internationally famous guitarist.
Pepe Romero (Málaga 1944) is considered one of the best Spanish guitar players of all time. Belonging to the "Royal Family of the Guitar: the Romeros", as defined by the New York Times, he debuted as a guitarist at the age of seven and has not left the stage since. He has received countless international awards, has recorded more than 70 albums and has given hundreds of concerts in many countries, alone or as part of prestigious orchestras.
"There are very few true living legends in the world of classical music, few who have sustained greatness and grown throughout their lives. Pepe Romero is such an artist. He has been honored by kings, heads of state, and major institutions-the encomiums continue to pour in. But to Romero, his most important contribution has been reaching the common man. He has communicated the richness and beauty of the classical guitar to millions of people throughout the world. He has, indeed, become an ambassador of classical music, and, correspondingly, of the classical guitar."
(Extracted from his website: https://peperomero.com/bio)
